This work determined the index of the soybean/fat bio diesel through the potentiometric titration. Four different methods were used with variation of solvent and electrodes. The results were compared by F and t (Student) and it was verified that they were agreed in a 95% confidence interval.

A study on the optimization and development of a chromatographic method for the determination of gallic and picric acids in pyrotechnic samples is presented. In order to achieve this, both analytical conditions by HPLC with diode detection and extraction step of a selected sample were studied. (Author)

A spectrophotometric method to determine As in tortilla and lime has been optimized, modifying the AsH{sub 3} generator. The reaction between arsin (AsH{sub 3}){sub 4} and diethyldithiocarbamate of Ag (AgDDC); was followed spectrophotometrically. The conditions under which the As remains in the ash during the calcination of the tortillas were studied. It was found that when they were heated in a quartz tube with a careful control of the air flow and oxygen, as well as the heating temperature, the arsenic loss in minimized. [Spanish] Se ha optimizado el metodo para determinar As en la tortilla y cal mediante espectrometria en el visible del color producido en la reaccion entre Arsina (AsH{sub 3}){sub 4} y dietilditiocarbamato de plata (AgDDC); modificando el generador de AsH{sub 3}. Se han buscado las condiciones en las que el arsenico permanece en las cenizas de la calcinacion de las tortillas; encontrandose que las tortillas deben calentarse en un tubo de cuarzo con control del flujo de aire y oxigeno asi como de la temperatura de calentamiento.

Determining the wax content of crude oil is of great importance for petroleum industry, especially for production, storage and transportation of crude oils. Many different methodologies of wax determining are available in the technical literature. However, the selection of the most suitable method must be in accordance with the aim of the analysis and observing the specificities of each technique. The purpose of this work was to determine the performance of different techniques of wax determining applied to characterization of precipitation properties of waxy compounds in crude oils. Twelve samples of crude oils proceeding from the main Brazilian oil producing sedimentary basins were selected for this study. These samples were analyzed by three important analytical techniques of wax determining: precipitation by cooled solvent; liquid chromatography with precipitation by cooled solvent; and liquid chromatography followed by gas chromatography. Differential scanning calorimetry data related to the wax crystallization in these oils were used as parameters of validation. The results obtained in this study indicate that the liquid chromatography followed by gas chromatography method has the best performance for wax determining in crude oils. (author)

The method enables the determination of 4- to 6- ring PAHs and particularly of carcinogenic PAHs regulated in Italy. This revision is based on the results of a national collaborative study. Sample extract, obtained by a method described in a previous report (Rapporto ISTISAN: 90/33) is cleaned up by thin layer chromatography and analysed by gas chromatography; identification is confirmed by mass spectrometry. An intralaboratory quality control program is described.

A new analytical method for the determination of uranium in organic solutions of tributyl phosphate and kerosene is proposed. In this method the uranium is reectracted from the aqueous phase by reduction with cadmium in acid solution. The uranium can be determined in this solution by the usual methods. In case of very diluted solutions, a direct spectrophtometrical determination of uranium in the organic phase with dibenzoylmethane is proposed. (Author) 21 refs.

This report presents a procedure with the description of the spectrophotometric method for the determination of the thorium element in uranium products including powders and pellets of uranium dioxide. Quantities can be determined starting from 1 ppm. (Author)

Full Text Available A new acidic ninhydrin method for determining free sialic acids is described. The method is based on the reaction of sialic acids with Gaitonde's acid ninhydrin reagent 2 which yields a stable color with an absorption maximum at 470 nm. The standard curve is linear in the range of 5 to 500 nmol of N-acetylneuraminic acid per 0.9 ml of reaction mixture. The reaction was specific only for sialic acids among the various sugars and sugar derivatives examined. Some interference of this method by cysteine, cystine and tryptophan was noted, although their absorption maxima differed from that of sialic acids. The interference by these amino acids was eliminated with the use of a small column of cation-exchange resin. The acidic ninhydrin method provides a simple and rapid method for the determination of free sialic acids in biological materials.

The available methods to determine the response time of nuclear safety related pressure transducers are discussed, with emphasis to the direct method. In order to perform the experiments, a Hydraulic Ramp Generator was built. The equipment produces ramp pressure transients simultaneously to a reference transducer and to the transducer under test. The time lag between the output of the two transducers, when they reach a predetermined setpoint, is measured as the time delay of the transducer under test. Some results using the direct method to determine the time delay of pressure transducers (1 E Class Conventional) are presented. (author). 18 refs, 35 figs, 12 tabs.

A study on the comparison and evaluation of 4 miniaturized extraction methods for the determination of selected PAHs in clear waters is presented. Four types of liquid-liquid extraction were used for chromatographic analysis by HPLC/ FD. The main objective was the optimization and development of simple, rapid and low cost methods, minimizing the use of extracting solvent volume. The work also includes a study on the scope of the methods developed at low and high levels of concentration. (Author) 13 refs.

For determination of an effective method for shielding of veterinary rooms, was provided shielding methods generally used in rooms which works with X-ray production and radiotherapy. Every calculation procedure is based in traditional variables used to transmission calculation. The thickness of the materials used for primary and secondary shieldings are obtained to respect the limits set by the Brazilian National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN). This work presents the development of a computer code in order to serve as a practical tool for determining rapid and effective materials and their thicknesses to shield veterinary facilities. The code determines transmission values of the shieldings and compares them with data from transmission 'maps' provided by NCRP-148 report. These 'maps' were added to the algorithm through interpolation techniques of curves of materials used for shielding. Each interpolation generates about 1,000,000 points that are used to generate a new curve. The new curve is subjected to regression techniques, which makes possible to obtain nine degree polynomial, and exponential equations. These equations whose variables consist of transmission of values, enable trace all the points of this curve with high precision. The data obtained from the algorithm were satisfactory with official data presented by the National Council of Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) and can contribute as a practical tool for verification of shielding of veterinary facilities that require using Radiotherapy techniques and X-ray production.

Kits of 99{sup m}Tc radiopharmaceuticals are used in nuclear medicine for diagnosis of different diseases. Sn (II) is one of the essential components in their formulations, which is used for reduction 99{sup m}Tc-pertechnetate in cold kits for on-site preparation 99{sup m}Tc-pertechnetate radiopharmaceuticals. Usually, these cold kits contain different additives (complexing agents, antioxidants, buffers, etc.) and the amount of Sn (II) varies from kit to kit. The determination of Sn in these products is essential in assessing their quality. We report here the development of a new polarographic method for the determination of Sn (II) and total Sn in representative radiopharmaceuticals kits (for the content of Sn and chemical composition) produced at the Center of Isotopes of Cuba (CENTIS). These methods were validated by analysis of variance and recovery techniques. From the results of the validation, the characteristic functions of uncertainties and fits are considered for the established methods, which give the necessary evidences to demonstrate the usefulness of these methods according to the current trends in Analytical Chemistry. This work provides practical results of great importance for CENTIS. After the speciation of Sn in the MAG3 radiopharmaceuticals kit is inferred that the production process is affected by uncontrolled factors that influence in the product stability, which demonstrates the necessity for analytical tools for the characterization of products and processes. (Author) 57 refs.

Determination of trace elements in human bones is of the great interest for evaluating nutritional state and for prevention, control and study of several diseases caused by mineral or trace element imbalance. In this study, neutron activation analysis (NAA) was applied for trace elements in human rib bone tissue. Elements Ba, Br, Ca, Cl, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Rb, Sr and Zn were determined in total bone tissue and in its subcompartments (cortical and trabecular tissue) separately. Irradiations were performed at IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor of IPEN-CNEN/SP. Short irradiations of 4 minutes were carried out under thermal neutron flux of 4.5x10{sup 11} n cm{sup -2} s{sup -1} and long irradiations of 16 hours under neutron flux of 10{sup 12} n cm{sup -2} s{sup -1}. Results obtained showed a variability between elemental concentrations found for bones from different individuals. A comparative study made between the data obtained for cortical and trabecular bones indicated that these two tissues present different elemental concentrations. Concentrations of Ca, Mg, Na and P obtained for cortical tissue were the same magnitude of those published data. (author)

Before the Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) test, the only available means of pirogenicity testing for parenteral drugs and medical devices was the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) rabbit pyrogen test. Especially for radiopharmaceuticals, the LAL assay is the elective way to determine bacterial endotoxin. The aim of this work was to validate the gel clot method for some radiopharmaceuticals without measurable interference. The FDA's LALTest guideline defines interference as a condition that causes a significant difference between the endpoints of a positive water control and positive product control series using a standard endotoxin. Experiments were performed in accordance to the USP bacterial endotoxins test in the {sup 131}I- m-iodobenzylguanidine; the radioisotopes Gallium-67 and Thallium-201; the lyophilized reagents DTPA, Phytate, GHA, HSA and Colloidal Tin. The Maximum Valid Dilution (MVD) was calculated for each product based upon the clinical dose of the material and a twofold serial dilution below the MVD was performed in duplicate to detect interferences. The labeled sensitivity of the used LAL reagent was 0.125 EU mL{sup -1} (Endotoxin Units per milliliter). For validation, a dilution series was performed, a twofold dilution of control standard endotoxin (CSE) from 0.5 to 0.03 EU mL{sup -1}, to confirm the labeled sensitivity of the LAL reagent being tested in sterile and non pyrogenic water, in quadruplicate. The same dilution series was performed with the CSE and the product in the 1:100 dilution factor, in three consecutive batches of each radiopharmaceutical. The products {sup 131}I-m-iodobenzylguanidine, Gallium-67, Thallium-201, DTPA, HSA and Colloidal Tin were found compatible with the LAL test at a 1:100 dilution factor. Phytate and GHA showed some interference in the gel clot test. Other techniques to determine endotoxins as the chromogenic (color development) and the turbidimetric test (turbidity development), were also assessed to get

Human hair analysis studies have been subject of continuous interest due to the fact that they can be used as an important tool to evaluate trace element levels in the human body. These determinations have been carried out to use hair for environmental and occupational monitoring, to identify intoxication or poisoning by toxic metals, to assess nutritional status, to diagnose and to prevent diseases and in forensic sciences. Although hair analysis presents several advantages over other human tissue or fluid analyses, such as organ tissue, blood, urine and saliva, there are some controversies regarding the use of hair analysis data. These controversies arise from the fact that it is difficult to establish reliable reference values for trace elements in hair. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors that affect element concentrations in hair samples from a population considered healthy and residing in the Sao Paulo metropolitan area. The collected human head hair was cut in small pieces, washed, dried and analyzed by neutron activation analysis (NAA). Aliquots of hair samples and synthetic elemental standards were irradiated at the IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor for 16 h under a thermal neutron flux of about 5x10{sup 12} n cm{sup -2} s{sup -1} for As, Br, Ca, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, K, La, Na, Sb, Sc, Se and Zn determinations. The induced gamma activities of the standards and samples were measured using a gamma ray spectrometer coupled to an hiperpure Ge detector. For quality control of the results, IAEA- 85 Human Hair and INCT-TL-1 Tea Leaves certified reference materials (CRMs) were analyzed. Results obtained in these CRMs presented for most of elements, good agreement with the values of the certificates (relative errors less than 10%) and good precision (variation coefficients less than 13.6%). Results of replicate hair sample analysis showed good reproducibility indicating homogeneity of the prepared sample. Results obtained in the analyses of dyed and

An analytical study is presented based on an optimised method to determine selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. The work was focused to obtain reliable measurements of PAH in a gas work contaminated soil and was performed in the frame of the project 'Assessment of natural remediation technologies for PAHs in contaminated soils' (Spanish Plan Nacional l+D+i, CTM 2004-05832-CO2-01): First assays were focused to evaluate an initial proposed procedure by sonication extraction in the contaminated soil. Afterwards to extend the efficiency and reduce solvent and time consuming of extraction procedures, the more relevant parameters that affect the extraction step were investigated. A comparison between sonication and microwave procedures was done, and the influence of sample grinding was studied. In general, both extraction techniques led on comparable results, although sonication procedure needs to be more carefully optimised. Finally, as a final application of the optimised method, the effect of particle size on relative distribution of selected PAHs in the contaminated soil was investigated. Relative abundance of more volatile PAHs showed a decreasing according to lower grain size, while relative abundance of less volatile compounds indicated an increasing of concentration levels for lower grain size. (Author) 10 refs.

The present paper, based on the current literature, considers the practical aspects of bile acid radioimmunoassays. The problems assoziated with the raising of specific antisera and their characterization are discussed. Features of assay design for bile acids are considered. Solid-phase radioimmunoassays are described for separate determination of unconjugated cholic acid and conjugated cholic acid in serum. The clinical application of specific bile acid radioimmunoassays is shown by an 'oral cholate tolerance test' as a sensitive indicator of liver function and by an 'oral cholylglycine tolerance test' for characterization of intenstinal function in diarrheal states. (orig.)

A simple, highly specific, and sensitive bioluminescent method for determination of free fatty acids in unextracted plasma or serum has been developed. The method is based on the activation of free fatty acids by acyl-CoA synthetase (EC 6.2.1.3). The pyrophosphate formed is used to phosphorylate fructose 6-phosphate in a reaction catalyzed by the enzyme pyrophosphate-fructose-6-phosphate phosphotransferase (EC 4.1.2.13). The triosephosphates produced from fructose 1,6-bisphosphate by aldolase are oxidized by NAD in the presence of arsenate to 3-phosphoglycerate. The NADH is detected via the bacterial NADH-linked luciferase system. Excellent agreement has been obtained by comparison with accepted methods. In addition, for the determination of serum free fatty acids, the method is particularly applicable for following lipolysis of isolated adipocytes. PMID:6486422

Similarly to other countries, ground water from Mexico is naturally polluted by fluoride. The main effects of fluoride at typical ground water concentrations are dental fluorosis, neurological deficits and reproductive disorders. In order to verify that the fluoride concentration is within the allowed guideline in Mexico (NOM 127 and 201), it is important to monitor fluoride levels in water and commercial beverages. The aim of this work is to develop a modification of the standard potentiometric method for fluoride determination in water, in order to reduce costs and amount of potentially toxic waste substances. Both methods were validated, the standard potentiometric method with the ion selective electrode and the microscale modification proposed in this paper. The methods were compared using statistic tests and graphics, followed by the comparison of 125 samples of commercial bottled water sold in the city of San Luis Potosi. Optimal results were obtained for the validation of both methods, and the microscale modification showed statistically identical results to those obtained with the standard method in all samples of bottled water. The microscale modification is a good alternative for fluoride assessment in water and beverages, and it represents a 95 % reduction of costs and chemical waste. [Spanish] En varios paises, incluido Mexico se presenta una contaminacion natural con fluoruro en agua subterranea; los principales efectos en la salud observados en poblacion expuesta a concentraciones mayores al valor permisible (que en Mexico es de 1.5 mg/L) son la fluorosis dental y esqueletica, asi como dano reproductivo y neurologico. En varios estados de la republica Mexicana, este problema es aun desconocido, de ahi la necesidad de evaluar las concentraciones de fluoruro en agua de consumo en varias comunidades. Asi, el objetivo de este trabajo es desarrollar un metodo a microescala para la determinacion de fluoruro en agua, que al reducir la cantidad de reactivo y

Objective: To establish that arterial blood carbonic acid varies inversely with lactic acid in accordance with bicarbonate exchanging for lactate across cell membranes through the anion exchange mechanism to maintain the Gibbs-Donnan equilibrium.

The 2,4-D herbicide is one of the main pesticides for controlling the bad grass in crops such as the water undergrowth. In Mexico the allowed bound of this pesticide is 0.05 mg/l in water of 2,4-D so it is required to have methods trusts and exacts, which can used in order to detected low concentration of it. In this work we show some for the conventional techniques and for establishing the 2,4-D concentrations. The UV-Vis spectrometer and liquids chromatography due that they are the most common used nowadays. Beside, we introduce a now developed technique, which is based on the neutronic activation analysis. Though use of the UV-Vis spectrometer technique it was possible target the concentrations interval between 1 and 200 mg/l. In the liquids chromatography interval was between 0.1 and 0.9, and by the neutronic activation analysis the interval was between 0.01 and 200 mg/l. (Author)

A new spectrophotometric method has been examined for the determination of the tranexamic acid (TA)by derivatization with vanillin(VAN).The molar absorptivity of TA was calculated 25 160 L·mol-1·cm-1at λ max 354 nm and obeyed the Beer's law within 0.5-2.5 μg·mL-1.The color reaction was highly stable and didnot show any change in absorbance up to 24 h.The method was applied for the analysis of TA from capsules,injections and tooth pastes.The amounts of TA found in capsules,injections and tooth pastes of various pharmaceutical companies were observed with 249.0-250.9 mg/capsule,249.3-250.7 mg/injection and 0.048%-0.049%in tooth pastes with relative standard deviation(RSD)0.2%-5.0%(n=3).

Free fatty acids (FFA) content of beer affects the ability to form a stable head of foam and plays an important role in beer staling. Moreover, the presence of saturated FAs is related sometimes to gushing problems in beer. The aim of this research was to validate an analytical method for the determination of FFAs in beer. The extraction of FFAs in beer was achieved via Liquid-Liquid Cartridge Extraction (LLCE), the FFAs extract was purified by Solid Phase Extraction (SPE), methylated by boron trifluoride in methanol, and injected into GC-FID system. The performance criteria demonstrate that this method is suitable for the analysis of medium and long chain FFAs in beer. The proposed method was tested on four experimental beers. PMID:27542484

The amount of titration acid in must is in the largest number of cases with in the range 5.0-8.0 g/dm3. Wines, as a rule, contain less acids than must, and according to Regulations, titratable acidity is in the range of 4.0-8.0 g/dm3 expressed in tartaric acid, because a part of tartaric acid is deposited in the form of salts (tartar or argol) during alcohol fermentation. For wines that contain less than 4 g/dm3 of titratable acids there arises a suspicion about their origin, that is, that du...

We developed a specific and sensitive HPLC method with fluorescence detection for the determination of free acetylsalicylic acid, free salicylic acid, and free salicylic acid plus salicylic acid after alkaline hydrolysis (free-plus-bound) in foods. Acetylsalicylic acid was detected after postcolumn

Activated charcoal is a common type of radioactive waste that contains high concentrations of fission and activation products. The management of this waste includes its characterization aiming the determination and quantification of the specific radionuclides including those known as Difficult-to-Measure Radionuclides (RDM). The analysis of the RDM's generally involves complex radiochemical analysis for purification and separation of the radionuclides, which are expensive and time-consuming. The objective of this work was to define a methodology for sequential analysis of the isotopes of uranium, neptunium, plutonium, americium and curium present in a type of radioactive waste, evaluating chemical yield, analysis of time spent, amount of secondary waste generated and cost. Three methodologies were compared and validated that employ ion exchange (TI+EC), extraction chromatography (EC) and extraction with polymers (ECP). The waste chosen was the activated charcoal from the purification system of primary circuit water cooling the reactor IEA-R1. The charcoal samples were dissolved by acid digestion followed by purification and separation of isotopes with ion exchange resins, extraction and chromatographic extraction polymers. Isotopes were analyzed on an alpha spectrometer, equipped with surface barrier detectors. The chemical yields were satisfactory for the methods TI+EC and EC. ECP method was comparable with those methods only for uranium. Statistical analysis as well the analysis of time spent, amount of secondary waste generated and cost revealed that EC method is the most effective for identifying and quantifying U, Np, Pu, Am and Cm present in charcoal. (author)

The method comprises the complexation of tungsten with salicylic acid in concentrated sulphuric acid yielding a reddish color. The maximum absorbance of the complex lies within 410-420 nm, 420 nm being the chosen wavelenght. The final concentration of salicylic acid is 0,080 g/ml. The sensitivity is 0,13 μg W(%T)-1 ml-1. Titanium, vanadium, rhenium, niobium and molybdenum interferes and must be separated, titanium being the strongest interferent. The separation procedures, advantages of the process, stoichiometric relations and equilibrium constant are discussed. (Author)

The uptake of nitric acid by sulfuric acid solutions representative of stratospheric particulate at low temperatures was measured to determine the solubility of nitric acid in sulfuric acid solutions as a function of H2SO4 concentration and solution temperature. Solubilities are reported for sulfuric acid solutions ranging from 58 to 87 wt pct H2SO4 over a temperature range from 188 to 240 K, showing that, in general, the solubility of nitric acid increases with decreasing sulfuric acid concentration and with decreasing temperature. The measured solubilities indicate that nitric acid in the global stratosphere will be found predominantly in the gas phase.

The primary objective of this study is to validate a new fast method for determination of uric acid in milk. The method is based on an enzymatic-fluorometric technique that requires minimal pre-treatment of milk samples. The present determination of uric acid is based on the enzymatic oxidation of...

Several different methods for the determination of phytic acid which do not require sophisticated equipment are currently in use. These methods have been developed to measure the phytic acid content of a variety of materials, such as plant tissues, food stuffs and soils. The aim of the work was to modify the supernatant difference, macro-method developed by Erdman and Thompson1 for the determination of the phytic acid content in soybeans and soybean protein products. A micro-method was develo...

Full Text Available Iodometric and permanganometric titrations were used for determination of peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 in the mixture. Two procedures were described and compared. Titrations could be done in only one vessel, in the same reaction mixture, when iodometric titration of peracetic acid was continued after the permanganometric titration of H2O2, (procedure A. Peracetic acid and H2O2, as oxidizing agents, reacted with potassium iodide in an acid medium, evolving iodine. This reaction was used for the quantitative iodometric determination of total peroxide in procedure B. H2O2 reacted with potassium permanganate in acid medium, but peracetic acid did not react under the same conditions. That made possible the selective permanganometric determination of H2O2 in the presence of peracetic acid. The procedure B was performed in two titration vessels (KV=3.4% for peracetic acid, 0.6% for H2O2. The procedure A for iodometric determination of peracetic acid in one titration vessel after permanganometric titration of H2O2 was recommended (KV=2,5% for peracetic acid, 0,45% for H2O2.

A rapid and accurate method was needed to determine trace amounts of boric acid for quality control and specification testing of elemental boron. The reaction between boric acid and curcumin occurs at a measurable rate only when the curcumin molecule is protonated. Protonation takes place at the carbonyl groups in the presence of a strong acid and occurs completely and rapidly when sulfuric acid is added to a solution of curcumin in acetic acid. Spectrophotometric measurements were made. The extraction of boric acid from boron powder was found to be complete within 2h when either water or the diol solution was used. Whatman No. 40 cr 42 filter paper was used to obtain diol samples free of boron particles. The extraction efficiency of 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol was evaluated by adding 1 ml of 500 ppM aqueous boric acid and 1 drop of 10% NaOH to accurately weighed samples of boron powder. The water then was evaporated at room temperature and the samples were extracted with diol solution. The data obtained are included. The extraction efficiency also was evaluated by determining the boric acid content of boron which had been recovered from a previous extraction and boric aciddetermination. The determination of boric acid using curcumin is unaffected by the presence of other compounds, except for fluoride and nitrate ions. 2 tables

The method used in the Laboratory of the JEN for the determination of Kr-85 levels in gaseous effluents of nuclear power and in the atmosphere is described. Samples of air, collected in metallic cylinders, are introduced into a gas-solid chromatographic separation system which resolves Kr from the other air components. The separated Kr ia dissolved in a toluene based scintillation cocktail, and the Kr-85 content is determined by liquid scintillation counting. (Author)

This work aims at the study of the radiation effects on vitamin C, when irradiated either solid, as a powder, or in an acetic-metaphosforic acid solution, irradiated with Co-60 or electron beam irradiation (EB). Doses of Co-60 γ radiation of 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0, 10, 20 and 50 kGy were used for both solid or liquid samples. EB irradiations, with doses of 0, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 300 kGy were only employed for solid state samples. For samples irradiated in solution, a decrease of the UV absorbance as a linear function of dose was shown for doses of 0.05, 0.1, 0.25 and 0.5 kGy remaining constant afterwards. UV spectra of samples irradiated in the solid state and dissolved after irradiation did not change as a function of dose showing no effect of γ or EB irradiation on ascorbic acid in this case. These results point out the importance of the water content on vitamin C stability and suggest several practical considerations that can be drawn on industrial food irradiation. (author). 11 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

In several situations of nuclear applications, the knowledge of gamma-ray linear attenuation coefficient for irregular samples is necessary, such as in soil physics and geology. This work presents the validation of a methodology for the determination of the linear attenuation coefficient ({mu}) of irregular shape samples, in such a way that it is not necessary to know the thickness of the considered sample. With this methodology irregular soil samples (undeformed field samples) from Londrina region, north of Parana were studied. It was employed the two media method for the {mu} determination. It consists of the {mu} determination through the measurement of a gamma-ray beam attenuation by the sample sequentially immersed in two different media, with known and appropriately chosen attenuation coefficients. For comparison, the theoretical value of {mu} was calculated by the product of the mass attenuation coefficient, obtained by the WinXcom code, and the measured value of the density sample. This software employs the chemical composition of the samples and supplies a table of the mass attenuation coefficients versus the photon energy. To verify the validity of the two media method, compared with the simple gamma ray transmission method, regular pome stone samples were used. With these results for the attenuation coefficients and their respective deviations, it was possible to compare the two methods. In this way we concluded that the two media method is a good tool for the determination of the linear attenuation coefficient of irregular materials, particularly in the study of soils samples. (author)

A study on the comparison and evaluation of a miniaturized extraction method for the determination of selected PACs in sample filters is presented. The main objective was the optimization and development of simple, rapid and low cost methods, minimizing the use of extracting solvent volume. The work also includes a study on the intermediate precision. (Author)

The determination of repeatability and reproducibility standard deviations of an analytical method, s{sub r} and s{sub R}, obtained by Interlaboratory program, makes it possible to calculate many kinds of precision limits of the method, which are needed in every laboratory's routine result comparisons and also in between-laboratories comparisons. This paper presents the results of the first interlaboratory trial, accomplished in the Brazilian petroleum sector, performed to define the trueness and precision of the Brazilian standard method for the determination of fuel anhydrous ethylic alcohol content in gasoline, that was performed by 34 experienced laboratories. The r and R values were 0,7 and 2,3 and main factors that would improve and optimize the method are presented. (author)

This work establishes an adequate procedure for obtaining reliable results for determination of vanadium in mussels, leg by leg by the neutron activation analysis (NAA), viewing the posterior application on the bio monitoring the coastal pollution, particularly near the petroleum terminals.For the evaluation of result quality concerning to the quality of those results, the work analysed the reference material certification NIST SRM 1566b Oyster Tissue. The precision of the results were also analysed using repetitions of mussel samples collected at the coastal of northern Sao Paulo state, Brazil. The NAA procedure consisted of 200 mg of sample and a synthetic standard of vanadium during a period of 8 s and under a thermal neutron flux of 6.6 x 10{sup 12} n cm{sup -2} s{sup -1} at the pneumatic station 4 of the IEA-R1 nuclear reactor of IPEN-CNEN/SP. After a 3 min decay, the measurements of the gamma activities of the sample and the standard were done using a Ge hyper pure semi-conductor detector, connected to gamma ray multichannel analyser. The vanadium were determined by the measurement of the gamma activity of the {sup 52}V through the 1434.08 keV peak, and half-life time of 3.75 min. The concentration of V were calculated by the comparative method. The obtained results indicated the viability of the NAA procedure established for the determination of vanadium in mussels

A method for the determination of D(—)-lactic acid is described. An acetone powder from Escherichia coli B in the presence of methylene blue oxidizes D(—)-lactic specifically. Oxygen consumption in a Warburg apparatus was used as a measure of the D(—)-lactic acid.

Due to the control or safety bars in a nuclear reactor are constituted by strongly absorbent materials, the Diffusion Theory like tool for the calculation of bar values is not directly applicable, should it use the Transport Theory. However the speed and economy of the Diffusion codes for the reactors calculation, those make attractiveness and by this reason its are used in the determination of characteristic parameters and even in the determination of bar values, not without before to make some theoretical developments that allow to make applicable this theory. The application of the Diffusion Theory in strongly absorbent media is based on the use of some effective cross sections distinct from the real ones obtained when imposing the reason that among the flow and it gradient in the external surface of such media (control element in general, bar type or flagstone) be similar to the one obtained using Transport Theory in all the control region (multiplicative and absorbent media) with those real cross sections. The effective cross sections were obtained of the Leopard-NUMICE cell code which has incorporate the respective calculation theory of effective cross sections. Later these constants its were used in the bidimensional diffusion code Exterminator-II, simulating in it, the distribution of safety or control bars. From the cell code its were also obtained the respective constants of the homogeneous fuel cell. The results as soon as those obtained bar values of the diffusion code, its were compared with some experimental results obtained in the R{phi} Swedish reactor of natural uranium and heavy water. In this work an analysis of the bar value of one of them, trying to determine the applicability of the method is made. (Author)

Voltammetric techniques have been considered as important methods among the analytical techniques used for the identification and determination of trace concentrations of many biological molecules such as L-ascorbic acid (AA). L-ascorbic acid is an electro-active molecule, though it is difficult to determine its value directly with a majority of electrodes made of carbon and transition metals, because of electrode surface problems. The present study is based on I-E curves for AA analysis at v...

A study on the optimization of an ultrasonic extraction method for selected PAHs determination in soil contaminated by type II fuel and by using HPLC with fluorescence detector is presented. The main objective was optimize the analytical procedure, minimizing the volume of solvent and analysis time and avoiding possible loss by evaporation. This work was carried out as part of a project that investigated a remediation process of agricultural land affected by an accidental spillage of fuel (Plan Nacional I + D + i, CTM2007-64 537). The paper is structured as: Optimization of wavelengths in the chromatographic conditions to improve resolution in the analysis of fuel samples. Optimization of the main parameters affecting in the extraction process by sonication. Comparison of results with those obtained by accelerated solvent extraction. (Author) 3 refs.

An evaluation of uncertainty associated to PAH determination in a contaminated soil is presented. The work was focused to measure the influence of grain size on concentration deviations and give a measure of result confidence of PAHs in the gasworks contaminated soil. This study was performed in the frame of the project 'Assessment of natural remediation technologies for PAHs in contaminated soils'(Spanish Plan Nacional I+D+i, CTM 2004-05832-CO2-01). This paper is presented as follows: A brief introduction which describes the main uncertainty contributions associated to chromatographic analysis. Afterwards, a statistic calculation was performed to measure each uncertainty component. Finally, a global uncertainty was calculated and the influence of grain size and distribution of compounds according to volatility was evaluated. (Author) 10 refs.

An evaluation of analytical parameters to determine selected PAHs in a fuel oil type II by HPLC coupled to fluorescence and diode detectors is presented. The study was focused on four conventional treatments of these kinds of oil samples and the main objective was giving a measure of confidence level of PAH results in the fuel oil. This study was performed in the frame of the project Assessment of natural attenuation of PAHs in agricultural soil contaminated with fuel from an accidental spill (Spanish National Plain I+D+I, CTM2007-64537). This paper is presented as follows: Analysis of reference material 1582 (NIST) by using the four kinds of sample treatments of interest. Application of variance analysis to compare results obtained from type II fuel by using each sample treatment and chromatographic detector. Finally, a statistic calculation was performed to measure uncertainty components in chromatographic analysis. (Author)

Separation and determination of some organic acids, mono-carboxylic (formic and acetic), dicarboxylic (oxalic and tartaric), tricarboxylic (citric) acids and aromatic acids (phtalic, benzoic, mellitic and trimellitic), by capillary electrophoresis are reviewed. The method development parameters, such as separation and injection mode, are discussed. Special attention is paid to the comparison of different detection types (spectroscopic and electrochemical). The optimisation of the carrier electrolyte composition (choice of carrier electrolyte, effect of pH, ionic strength, electro-osmotic flow modifier) is treated. Different additives (alkali-earth and transition metal ions, cyclodextrins and alcohol), which are often used for improving organic acid separation, are also considered. (authors)

Separation and determination of some organic acids, mono-carboxylic (formic and acetic), dicarboxylic (oxalic and tartaric), tricarboxylic (citric) acids and aromatic acids (phtalic, benzoic, mellitic and trimellitic), by capillary electrophoresis are reviewed. The method development parameters, such as separation and injection mode, are discussed. Special attention is paid to the comparison of different detection types (spectroscopic and electrochemical). The optimisation of the carrier electrolyte composition (choice of carrier electrolyte, effect of pH, ionic strength, electro-osmotic flow modifier) is treated. Different additives (alkali-earth and transition metal ions, cyclodextrins and alcohol), which are often used for improving organic acid separation, are also considered. (authors)

Although recommendations on folic acid use were issued by health authorities in a number of countries in the early 1990s, uptake of peri-conceptional folic acid is still disappointingly low. Regardless of food fortification policies, folic acid promotion will probably be required in most countries to optimize folate levels among women of child-bearing age. The aim of this study was to examine folic acid knowledge and use, and their determinants among antenatal women in the east of Ireland in 1997.

The object of this work is the study of the principal methods which can be applied to the measurement of 'free' acidity. In the first part, we define the various types of acidity which can exist in aqueous solution; then, after having studied some hydrolysis reactions, we compare the value of the neutralisation pH of the hydrated cation and that of the precipitation of the hydroxide. In the second part we have started to study the determination of the acidity of an aqueous solution. After having rapidly considered the 'total' aciditydetermination, we deal with the problem of the 'free' acidity titration. We have considered in particular certain methods: extrapolation of the equivalent point, colorimetric titrations with or without a complexing agent, and finally the use of ion-exchange resins with mixed aqueous and solvent solutions. (author)

We report the measurement of the acidic sites in three different samples of commercially available full-length purified single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) - as obtained from CarboLex (CLI), Carbon Solutions (CSI) and Tubes@Rice (TAR) - by simple acid-base titration methods. Titration of the purified SWNTs with NaOH and NaHCO 3 solutions was used to determine the total percentage of acidic sites and carboxylic acid groups, respectively. The total percentage of acidic sites in full length purified SWNTs from TAR, CLI and CSI are about 1-3%.

The introduction of 75Se-homocholic acid taurine (75SeHCAT) greatly facilitates the investigation of diarrhoea of unknown origin. By using gamma-labelled bila acids, daily faecal bile acid loss can be measured in total collected stools, thus circumventing laborious mixing and sampling. The 75SeHCAT method proved to be reliable for the determination of bile acid turnover, giving results identical to the established turnover method using 14C-taurocholic acid. The new metho however, is simpler and faster. (orig.)

Flow injection methods for the individual and simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid and uric acid are proposed. A spectrophotometer and a miniamperometric detector are connected in sequence. The calibration graphs for uric acid obtained by measuring its absorbance at 293 nm and its current at +0.6 V are linear up to at least 80 and 70 mug/ml, respectively, with an rsd (n = 10) of 1 % for both methods at mid-range concentrations. The calibration graph for ascorbic acid with amperometric detection is linear up to 80 mg/l. with an rsd (n = 10) of 0.8% at 30 mg/l. The simultaneous determination of uric acid and ascorbic acid is based on measurement of the absorbance of uric acid at 393 nm and amperometric determination of both analytes at +0.6 V. The average relative errors of the analysis of binary mixtures of uric acid and ascorbic acid are 2.2 and 4.2%, respectively. PMID:18965554

Determination of ascorbic acid (AA) in garlic, green pepper and chestnut was performed by derivative spectrophotometry without using any pre-separation or background correction techniques. The method is based on the measurement of the distances between two extremum values (peak-to-peak amplitudes) in second and third order derivative spectra of the extracts. Ten percent trichloroacetic acid was found to be the most suitable extraction solution. In the second order derivative spectru...

The study of some factors affecting the spectrophotometric determination of boron traces with carmin is made; the influence of carmin from different origin, the stability of complex carmin-boric acid in relation with the sulphuric acid concentration, the interference produced by ion nitrate, and the ion uraline and light influence are discussed. (Author) 36 refs.

A simple potentiometric method for the determination of free acidity in presence of hydrolysable ions and sequential determination of hydrazine is developed and described. Both free acid and hydrazine are estimated from the same aliquot. In this method, free acid is titrated with standard sodium carbonate solution after the metal ions in solutions are masked with EDTA. Once the end point for the free acid is determined at pH 3.0, an aliquot of formaldehyde is added to liberate the acid equivalent to hydrazine which is then titrated with the same standard sodium carbonate solution using an automatic titration system. The described method is simple, accurate and reproducible. This method is especially applicable to all ranges of nitric acid and heavy metal ion concentration relevant to Purex process used for nuclear fuel reprocessing. The overall recovery of nitric acid is 98.9% with 1.2% relative standard deviation. Hydrazine content has also been determined in the same aliquot with a recovery of nitric acid is 99% with 2% relative standard deviation. The major advantage of the method is that generation of corrosive analytical wastes containing oxalate or sulphate is avoided. Valuable metals like uranium and plutonium can easily be recovered from analytical waste before final disposal. PMID:21726724

Specific radioimmunoassays have been developed for separate determinations of unconjugated cholic acid, conjugated cholic acid and conjugated deoxycholic acid in serum. Before carrying out the radioimmunoassay, the serum bile acids were extracted with Amberlite XAD-2. Unconjugated cholic acid was separated from glyco- and taurocholic acids by thin-layer chromatography. At 50% displacement of bound labelled glyco-[3H]-cholic acid, using antiserum obtained after immunization with cholic acid-bovine serum albumin-conjugate, the cross-reactivity of taurocholic acid was 100%, cholic acid 80%, glycochenodeoxycholic acid 10%, chenodeoxycholic acid 7%, conjugated deoxycholic acid 3% and conjugated lithocholic acid 3H]-cholic acid in the solid-phase radioimmunoassay was linear on a logit-log plot from 5 to 200 pmol of unlabelled cholic acid. The coefficient of variation between samples was 5%. The clinical application of these bile acid radioimmunoassays is shown by an ''oral cholate tolerance test'', which is a sensitive indicator of liver function, and by an ''oral cholylglycine tolerance test'' which is a useful test for bile acid absorption. (author)

Elderberries are used in the preparation of pie, jelly, punch, wine, or liqueur, as well as in many herbal remedies and food supplements. Elderberry products may provide diaphoretic, diuretic, antioxidant, and immunostimulant activities that offer protection against cold and flu. Herein, we report for the first time the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of two isomeric triterpenoids isolated from Sambuci fructus. The analysis revealed that ursolic acid and oleanolic acid are present in Sambuci fructus. The average concentration of ursolic acid was ca. three times higher than the concentration of oleanolic acid. The triterpenoids were detected and quantified using chromatographic methods such as TLC and HPLC. Spectroscopic techniques, including HR-MS and 2D-NMR, allowed unequivocal structure determination. PMID:25491337

A Flow-dilution spectrophotometric method is developed for rapid determination of free acid in High Level Liquid Waste. Orange IV is used as developer in this method. The results show that the precision of the analysis is less than 3% (n=3) and the quantity of sample is small, the procedure is simple and fast (completed within 3 min). Moreover, the method is much less hazardous for the operator in the analysis of radioactive samples. (authors)

A rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed for the simultaneous separation and determination of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, alantolactone and isoalantolactone in Inula helenium. The HPLC separation was performed on an Elite Hypersil C18 column (200 × 4.6 mm i.d., 5 µm particle size) with a gradient elution of solvent A (acetonitrile) and solvent B (0.1% phosphoric acid in water) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. Detection was monitored at 225 nm. The recovery of chlorogenic acid ranged from 95.6 to 107.7%, the recovery of caffeic acid ranged from 95.4 to 104.2%, the recovery of alantolactone ranged from 95.8 to 100.8% and the recovery of isoalantolactone ranged from 96.5 to 102.3%. The retention times for chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, alantolactone and isoalantolactone were 5.2, 7.1, 25.6 and 26.6 min with the limits of detection of 0.069, 0.021, 0.039 and 0.051 µg/mL, respectively. Relative standard deviation for the intra-day and inter-day was ≤2.5%. The validated method is reliable for the routine control of these four compounds in I. helenium. PMID:24996657

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Vitamin B2 is available in foodstuff in the form of coenzyme and in free form. For its content determination a few procedures should be performed (deliberation from a complex, extraction of free and deliberated form and detection, identification and quantification. There is a particular problem in determination of vitamin B2 in the meat products. For a determination of total vitamin B2 content in liver paste two preparation procedures are compared: acid and acid-enzymatic hydrolysis. The aim of this study thus, was to compare the effectiveness of these two different procedures for vitamin B2 content determination in liver paste. Methods. High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC method with fluorescence detector, as specific and adequately sensitive for the foodstuff of a complex composition with a natural vitamin content, was used for determination of vitamin B2 in liver paste. Acid hydrolysis was performed with the application 0.1 M hydrochloric acid in a pressure cooker, and enzymatic hydrolysis was performed with the 10% takadiastase on 45 ºC within four hours. Ten samples of liver paste from the supply of the Serbian Army were examined. Separation was performed on the analytical column Nucleosil 50−5 C18 with mobile phase 450 ml CH3OH + 20 ml 5 mM CH3COONH4, and detection on the fluorescent detector with the variable wave length. Both methods were validated: examining a detection limit, quantification limit, specificity (because of a possible B2 vitamin interference with reagents, linearity of a peak area and standard concentration of B2 vitamin ratio in the range from 0.05 μg/ml to 2 μg/ml, precision for the 0.05 μg/ml concentration and recovery. Results. All the previously examined parameters validated both methods as specific, precise and reproductive, with a high recovery (98.5% for acid and 98.2% for acid - enzymatic hydrolysis, as well as linearity in a range that significantly superseded the expected content in

A spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of uranium with benzohydroxamic acid (BHA). Uranium in the hexavalent state forms a yellowish orange colored chelate with BHA. The absorbance of the complex is maximum at pH 6.0, excluding pH7 and complex is stable for more than 72 hours. The maximum absorbance at 304 nm is considered for quantification of uranium. The present method is validated and good agreement with spectrophotometric determination of uranium with thiocyanate. Uranium in the range 1-10 μg/ml has been determined with good precision. The described method is simple, precised and accurate. It can be applied for the determination of uranium in raffinates of Purex process, without producing the nuclear waste in organic phase

A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) has been modified by electrochemical oxidation in mild acidic media (0.1 mol l(-1) H(2)SO(4)) and could be applied for individual and simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA). Oxidized GCE shows a single redox couple (E(0)'=-2.5 mV) which is based on the formation functional groups during the electrochemical pretreatment process. Proposed GCE successfully decreases the over potentials for the oxidation process of these species (AA, DA and UA) comparing with bare GCE. The oxidized GCE has its own simplicity, stability, high sensitivity and possesses the potential for simultaneous determination of AA, DA and UA. PMID:19162467

This paper describes the methodology applied for measuring water flow through a 170-MW hydraulic turbine. The flow rate was measured using the pressure-time method, also known as the Gibson method. This method uses the well-known water hammer phenomenon in pipelines; in turbine penstocks, for instance. The version of this method used here is based on measuring, during total stop of the water stream, the time-history of pressure change in one section of the turbine penstock and relate it to the pressure in the upper reservoir to which the penstock is connected. The volumetric flow rate is determined from the relevant integration of the measured temporary pressure rise. Flow measurement was possible this way because the influence of the penstock inlet was negligible as far as an error of the measurement is concerned. The length of the penstock was 300 m. Previous experience and a standard IEC-41-1991 were the criteria adopted and applied. A fast and efficient acquisition system, including a 16 bit card, was used. The flow rate was calculated using a computer program developed and tested on several cases. The results obtained with the Gibson method were used for calibration of the on-line flow measuring system based on the Winter-Kennedy method as one of the index methods. This method is very often used for continuous monitoring of the flow rate through hydraulic turbines, when the calibration has been done on site by using the results of measurements obtained by the absolute method. Having measured the flow rate and output power, the efficiency was calculated for any operating conditions. A curve showing the best operating conditions based on the highest efficiency is presented and discussed. The details of the instrumentation, its installation, and the results obtained are discussed in the paper. [Spanish] Este articulo describe la metodologia aplicada para la medicion del flujo en una turbina hidraulica de 170 MW. El flujo se midio utilizando el metodo de presion

The importance of free fatty acids (FFAs) in wort has been known for a long time because of their influence on beer quality and yeast metabolism. Lipids have a beneficial effect on yeast growth during fermentation as well as negative effects on beer quality. Lipids content of beer affects the ability to form a stable head of foam and plays an important role in beer staling. Moreover, the ratio of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids seems to be related to gushing problems. A novel, simple, and reliable procedure for quantitative analysis of FFAs in wort was developed and validated. The determination of FFAs in wort was achieved via liquid-liquid cartridge extraction, purification of FFA fraction by solid phase extraction, boron trifluoride in methanol methylation, and injection into GC-FID system. The proposed method has high accuracy (Plato). PMID:24423546

We purified human prostatic acid phosphatase (hPAP) from prostatic tissues by affinity chromatography, DEAE cellulose and gel filtration and also examined physicochemical properties of highly purified PAP. We developed a double-antibody radioimmunoassay for hPAP in serum, with use of antiserum raised in rabbit against highly purified PAP. The antiserum did not cross react with acid phosphatase from platelets and red blood cells. Experimental detail are outlined to assess the reproducibility and reliability of the method under various conditions. The upper limit of the serum PAP levels in the present assay was set at 3.0 ng/ml by 162 determinations of samples. The serum PAP levels of 2 untreated patients with prostatic carcinoma were higher than 3.0 ng/ml and 39 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia were an average value of 1.9 ng/ml. (author)

Serum concentrations of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) were determined with 4 different radioimmunoassays and with the standard enzymatic method (p-nitrophenylphosphate) in 35 patients with prostatic carcinoma. Staging of localized tumors was based on histopathological evaluation after radial prostatectomy and pelvic lymphnode dissection (pTsub(1-3), pN0). In tumor lesions Tsub(1-2) N0 M0 elevated PAP-serum concentrations were found by RIA-determination in only one patient. Increased PAP serum levels were observed in 43-78% of carcinomas stage T3 N0 M0 and in 54-83% in stage Tsub(2-4) Nsub(x) M1 tumors, depending on the test kit used for the PAP determination. Concentrations for PAP obtained with the 4 different RIA-kits used, varied significantly and thus are not comparable. No false positive results were observed in sera of 9 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Elevated PAP serum levels were found in a significantly higher frequency when determined by radioimmunoassay than by the enzymatic method. The results clearly indicate, that PAP is of no value for early recognition of carcinoma of the prostate even when measured by radioimmunoassay. However, the RIA-method seems to be of clinical importance in estimating the course of advanced local and metastasizing carcinoma of the prostate. (orig.)

A spectrophotometric method is described for determining small amounts of uranium in aqueous solutions from copper ores. Uranium is quantitatively separated in a single extraction by a solution of tri-n-octylphosphine oxide in benzene, using ethylendiaminetetracetic acid and sodium fluoride as complexing agents, for improving the selectivity of the procedure. An aliquot of the extract is diluted with a hydrocolloidal solution of arsenazo III. Optical density is measured at 650 nm. (Author) 3 refs.

A method to determine docosahexenoic acid (DHA) in milk powder by gas chromatography was established. The milk powder samples were hydrolyzed with hydrochloric acid, extracted to get total fatty acids by Soxhlet extractor, then esterified with potassium hydroxide methanol solution to form methyl esters, and treated with sodium hydrogen sulfate. The optimal experiment conditions were obtained from orthogonal experiment L9(3(3)) which performed with three factors and three levels, and it requires the reaction performed with 1 mol/L potassium hydroxide solution at 25 degrees C for 5 min. The derivative treated with sodium hydrogen sulfate was separated on a column of SP-2560 (100 m x 0.25 mm x 0.20 μm), and determined in 55 min by temperature programming-gas chromatography. Good linearity was obtained in the range 5.0-300 mg/L with the correlation coefficient of 0.999 9. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 3.4%, 1.2% and 1.1% for the seven repeated experiments of 10, 50 and 100 mg/L of DHA, respectively. The limit of detection was 2 mg/kg, and the recoveries of DHA were in the range of 90.4%-93.5%. The results are satisfactory through the tests of practical samples. PMID:26939370

Full Text Available Asparagus contain a lot of macronutrients and micronutrients including folate, dietary fibre (soluble and insoluble and phenolic compounds. Also asparagus is a good source of unsaturated linoleic and linolenic fatty acids which are precursors for Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA and Docosahexanoic acid (DHA. Unsaturated fatty acids have important biological effects and they have important role in human health. The objective of this study was to analyze fatty acid composition of asparagus as a potential source of linoleic and linolenic acid - a precursor for EPA and DHA. For this reason we analyzed fifty seven samples of asparagus collected from the local market. We used AOAC 996.06 method and analyses were performed with gas chromatograph with flame-ionization detector (GC-FID. The highest concentration of fatty acid in the asparagus was linoleic acid (C18:2n6 which content in asparagus is 25.620±1.0%. Also, asparagus is good source of -linolenic fatty acid (C18:3n3 and content of this fatty acid in asparagus is 8.840±0.3%. The omega-6 to omega-3 (n6/n3 ratio in asparagus was 3.19. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs were higher than monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs, and from saturated fatty acids, palmitic acid was most frequent with 24.324±1.0%. From our study we can conclude that asparagus is very good source of unsaturated fatty acids, especially linoleic and linolenic fatty acids.

Full Text Available Salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, methyl salicylate, and methyl jasmonate are important phytohormones and defensive signaling compounds, so it is of great importance to determine their levels rapidly and accurately. The study uses Ulmus pumila leaves infected by Tetraneura akinire Sasaki at different stages as materials; after extraction with 80% methanol and ethyl acetate and purification with primary secondary amine (PSA and graphitized carbon blacks (GCB, the contents of signal compounds salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, methyl salicylate, and methyl jasmonate were determined by GC-MS. The results showed that the level of salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, methyl salicylate, and methyl jasmonate increased remarkably in U. pumila once infected by T. akinire Sasaki, but the maximums of these four compounds occurred at different times. Salicylic acid level reached the highest at the early stage, and jasmonic acid level went to the maximum in the middle stage; by contrast, change of content of methyl salicylate and methyl jasmonate was the quite opposite.

Several bis- and mono-2-hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives were synthesized by the reaction of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate with some alcohols (diols, polyols and amino alcohols) and their acidity constants were determined in 60 % aqueous ethanol by the potentiometric titration method. It has been shown that the biochemical behaviour of these compounds is greatly dependent on their acidity. It appears that the ester derivatives are weaker acids than the amide derivatives and, therefore, can be poten...

ABSTRACT The main aim for the work on this thesis was to find a fast and sensitive method for qualitative and quantitative determination of the naphthenic acids (NAs) called the ARN acid family in crude oil. As there are three main components in the ARN acid family with quite similar molecular mass, separation of the acids with respect to the hydrophobicity, was essential to obtain reliable determination of all three acids. The sample preparation developed in this work consisted of liquid...

International audience Formic acid and oxalic acid field trials for control of Varroa destructor were carried out in autumn according to the Swiss prescriptions during three successive years in different apiaries in Switzerland. The following parameters were determined in honey that was harvested the year after treatment: formic acid, oxalic acid and free acidity. The following range of values were found in honeys of untreated colonies: formic acid, from 17 to 284 mg/kg, n = 34; oxalic aci...

Highlights: • Trp-GR was synthesized by utilizing a facile ultrasonic method. • The material as prepared had well dispersivity in water and better conductivity than pure GR. • Trp-GR/GCE showed excellent potential for the determination of AA, DA and UA. • The proposed method was applied for the analysis of AA, DA and UA in real samples. - Abstract: A new type of tryptophan-functionalized graphene nanocomposite (Trp-GR) was synthesized by utilizing a facile ultrasonic method via π–π conjugate action between graphene (GR) and tryptophan (Trp) molecule. The material as prepared had well dispersivity in water and better conductivity than pure GR. The surface morphology of Trp-GR was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The electrochemical behaviors of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA), and uric acid (UA) were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) on the surface of Trp-GR. The separation of the oxidation peak potentials for AA–DA, DA–UA and UA–AA was about 182 mV, 125 mV and 307 mV, which allowed simultaneously determining AA, DA, and UA. Differential pulse voltammetery (DPV) was used for the determination of AA, DA, and UA in their mixture. Under optimum conditions, the linear response ranges for the determination of AA, DA, and UA were 0.2–12.9 mM, 0.5–110 μM, and 10–1000 μM, with the detection limits (S/N = 3) of 10.09 μM, 0.29 μM and 1.24 μM, respectively. Furthermore, the modified electrode was investigated for real sample analysis.

A novel and sensitive carbon fiber electrode (CFE) modified by graphene flowers was prepared and used to simultaneously determine ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA). SEM images showed that beautiful and layer-petal graphene flowers homogeneously bloomed on the surface of CFE. Moreover, sharp and obvious oxidation peaks were found at the obtained electrode when compared with CFE and glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for the oxidation of AA, DA and UA. Also, the linear calibration plots for AA, DA and UA were observed, respectively, in the ranges of 45.4-1489.23 μM, 0.7-45.21 μM and 3.78-183.87 μM in the individual detection of each component. By simultaneously changing the concentrations of AA, DA and UA, their oxidation peaks appeared at -0.05 V, 0.16 V and 2.6 V, and the good linear responses ranges were 73.52-2305.53 μM, 1.36-125.69 μM and 3.98-371.49 μM, respectively. In addition, the obtained electrode showed satisfactory results when applied to the determination of AA, DA and UA in urine and serum samples. PMID:24140872

Metodo e standard di valutazione in economia. Dall'apriorismo a Friedman (di Matteo Motterlini) - ABSTRACT: This paper aims at reconstructing the standards of evaluation of economic theory by focus-ing on the views that economists themselves (historically) have held of their own field of en-quiry: from empirical apriorism (N.W. Senior, Mill, Cairnes) to Austrian apriorism (Robbins, Von Mises), from Hutchison’s methodological critique of the Neoclassical assumptions to Machlup’s verification...

Enantiomeric pairs of sialic acid, D- and L-NeuAc (N-acetylneuraminic acid), were converted to D- and L-arabinose, respectively, by chemical degradation. Using this method, the absolute configuration of the sialic acid residues, NeuAc and NeuGc (N-glycolylneuraminic acid), in the gangliosides from the sea cucumber Cucumaria echinata was determined to be the D-form. Although naturally occurring sialic acids have been believed to be the D-form on the basis of biosynthetic evidence, this is the first report of the determination of the absolute configuration of the sialic acid residues in gangliosides using chemical methods. PMID:17603199

Full Text Available The application of the hydrogen-palladium electrode (H2/Pd as the indicator electrode for the determination of relative acidity scale (Es, mV of tetrahydrofuran (THF and the potentiometric titrations of acids in this solvent was investigated. The relative acidity scale tetrahydrofuran was determined from the difference half-neutralization potentials of perchloric acid and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH, which were measured by using both H2/Pd-SCE and glass-SCE electrode pairs. The experimentally obtained value of Es scale THF with a H2/Pd-SCE electrode pair was 1155 mV, and those obtained with glass-SCE electrode pair 880 mV. By using a H2/Pd indicator electrode, the individual acids (benzoic acid, palmitic acid, maleic acid, acetyl acetone, α-naphthol and two component acid mixtures (benzoic acid + α-naphthol, palmitic acid + α-naphthol, maleic acid + α-naphthol and maleic acid + ftalic acid were titrated with a standard solution of TBAH. In addition, sodium methylate and potassium hydroxide proved to be very suitable titrating agents for titrating of the individual acids and the acids in mixtures, respectively. The relative error of the determination of acids in mixture was less than 3%. The results are in agreement with those obtained by a conventional glass electrode. The advantages of H2/Pd electrode over a glass electrode in potentiometric acid-base determinations in tetrahydrofuran lie in the following: this electrode gives wider relative acidity scale THF, higher the potential jumps at the titration end-point and relatively fast response time; furthermore, it is very durable, simple to prepare and can be used in the titrations of small volumes. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br.172051

Solvent extraction processes have been found to be suitable for uranium recovery from phosphoric acid. Various extractants like di-2-ethyl hexylphosphoric acid (D2EHPA), di-nonylphenyl phosphoric acid (DNPPA) and synergistic agents like tri-butyl phosphate (TBP), tri-octyl phosphine oxide (TOPO) have been used in liquid-liquid extraction of uranium from phosphoric acid. Contents of these organo-phosphorus compounds in aqueous raffinates need estimation for process requirements. Solubility of Tri-butyl phosphate (TBP) and Di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) extractants have been determined in different media of water, oxalic acid (0.6M) and sulphuric acid (3.75M) solutions. These compounds were estimated by determining their phosphorus (P) contents employing molybdovanadophosphoric acid method, after digesting and solubalizing them in nitric and perchloric acid. (author)

Full Text Available Several bis- and mono-2-hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives were synthesized by the reaction of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate with some alcohols (diols, polyols and amino alcohols and their acidity constants were determined in 60 % aqueous ethanol by the potentiometric titration method. It has been shown that the biochemical behaviour of these compounds is greatly dependent on their acidity. It appears that the ester derivatives are weaker acids than the amide derivatives and, therefore, can be potentially more involved in the processes of metal ions transport in plants, whereas the introduction of OH and CH3 groups has a very small effect on the biochemical properties.

Electrochemical oxidation of iodide has been studied in the presence of barbituric acid using cyclic voltammetry and controlled-potential coulometry. The results indicate that barbituric acid participating in halogenation reaction convert to iodo derivative of parent compound. Moreover the results are indication of the suitability of iodide as mediator for determination of barbituric acid in aqueous solutions. The quasicatalytic peak current is linearly dependent on the barbituric acid concentration. The calibration graph is parabolic, with two linear sections of 6.0 x 10-5 - 1.0 x 10-3 M and 1.0 x 10-3 - 1.0 x 10-2 M. The relative standard deviation for 10 determinations of 2.0 x 10-4 M barbituric acid is 2.1 % and the detection limit of the method is 3.97 x 10-5 M

The characterization and application of a radioimmunoassay specific for free and conjugated abscisic acid (ABA) is reported, The antibodies produced against a bovine serum albumin-(+-)-ABA conjugate have a high affinity for ABA (Ka= 1.3 x 109 l mol-1). Trans, trans-ABA and related compounds, such as xanthoxin, phaseic acid, dihydrophaseic acid, vomifoliol or violaxanthin do not interfere with the assay. The detection limit of this method is 0.25 x 10-12 mol ABA, the measuring range extends to 20 x 10-12 mol, and average recoveries are 103%. Because of the high specificity of this immunoassay, no extract purification steps are required prior to analysis. Several hundred plants can be analyzed per day in a semi-automatic assay performance. ABA has been detected in all higher plant families examined, but was absent in the blue-green alga, Spirulina platensis, the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, and two species of fungi. (orig.)

The method of indolo-.alpha.-pyrone fluorescence-determination of IAA was investigated to study possible interference from 4-chloro-indoleacetic acid and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, which occur naturally. Both compounds show about 40% of the fluorescence of IAA after conversion into their .alpha.......-pyrones. Other halogenated indoleacetic acids show between zero and 60% of the fluorescence of IAA. Apparently the concentration of IAA cannot be determined in crude extracts in the presence of 4-chloro- or 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid, because separate determinations of each of these compounds are not possible...

A titration approach was developed to measure low concentrations of citric acid (C6H8O7) in a mixture of other weak acid/ bases. Two methods were tested. The first and more practical method (a 4-point titration procedure) is applicable in conditions where volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are not normally present. The second method (a 5-point titration procedure) was developed for anaerobic environments where VFAs may be encountered. Generally, fairly accurate and repetitive results (precision > 95...

The fatty acid composition and trans fatty acids of 13 cereal-based foods produced by Turkish companies were analysed by capillary gas-liquid chromatography. The total fat contents of the samples ranged from 1.8 to 37.9%. Traditional Turkish white bread and bulgur had the lowest fat content (1.8% and 2.3% respectively) and wafer the highest (37.9%). The major fatty acids in the samples were C16:0, C18:0, trans C18:1, C18:1 and C18:2. Total unsaturated fatty acid contents varied bet...

Simulated enantiomeric excess of glutamic acid was determined by a lab-made sixteen-channel capillary array electrophoresis with confocal fluorescent rotary scanner. The experimental results indicated that the capillary array electrophoresis method can accurately determine the enantiomeric excess of glutamic acid and can be used for high-throughput screening system for combinatorial asymmetric catalysis.

A new kinetic-spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of barbituric acid. The method is based on its inhibition effect on the reaction between hydrochloric acid and bromate. The decolorization of methyl orange by the reaction products was used to monitor the reaction spectrophotometrically at 510 nm. The variable affecting the rate of the reaction was investigated. The method is simple, rapid, relatively sensitive and precise. The limit of detection is 7.9×10 -7 M and calibration rang is 1×10 -6-6.0×10 -4 M barbituric acid. The linearity range of the calibration graph is depends on bromate concentration. The relative standard deviation of seven replication determination of 5.6×10 -6 M barbituric acid was 1.8%. The influence of potential interfering substance was studied.

Graphical abstract: The thermodynamic quantities of protonation of humic acid were determined by the combination of potentiometric titration and calorimetric titration. It was observed that the protonation enthalpy and Gibbs free energy had been affected by pH of solution. As a result, the thermodynamics of the protonation reaction of humic acid is influenced by the polyelectrolyte effect and the heterogeneity. - Highlights: • We applied calorimetric titration technique to the protonation of humic acid. • The thermodynamic quantities of protonation of humic acid were determined. • The protonation enthalpy of humic acid is affected by the heterogeneity. • Gibbs free energy of the protonation is affected by the polyelectrolyte effect. - Abstract: In this study, the calorimetric titration technique was used to determine the protonation enthalpy of two reference humic acids and polyacrylic acid. First, we obtained the apparent protonation constant of two kinds of humic acid purchased from IHSS (International Humic Substances Society) and polyacrylic acid by potentiometric titration. Second, we obtained the protonation enthalpy of them by calorimetric titration. The protonation enthalpy of humic acid was affected by pH and the ionic strength of bulk solution. From the comparison of ΔH between humic acid and polyacrylic acid, it was concluded that the pH dependence of ΔH is attributed to the heterogeneity of humic acid. And ΔH of phenolic hydroxyl group in humic acid is strongly influenced by the electric double layer of humic acid’s surface. This is considered to be a reason of the ionic strength dependence of ΔH. On the other hand, Gibbs free energy of the protonation of humic acid is affected by the electrostatic attraction with the progress of dissociation of functional groups such as carboxyl group and phenolic hydroxyl group. Consequently, the thermodynamics of the protonation of humic acid is affected by the polyelectrolyte effect and the

The method developed uses oxalic acid as titrant and has been tested for the analysis of relatively pure uranyl nitrate solutions having 1 to 25 mg uranium in sample volumes up to 2 ml with an accuracy and precision of +-1%. In the method, the uranium bearing aliquot is taken in 1:1 iso-propyl alcohol - ethyl alcohol mixture and after adjusting the pH to 2.5, the solution is titrated with oxalic acid which has been prestandardized with a standard uranyl nitrate solution. The end point is detected with arsenazo-I as indicator and the colour change at the end point is from bluish green to light pink. The uranyl oxalate complex formed under these conditions corresponds to 1:1 mole ratio. (author)

Determination of carboxylic acids using non-suppressed conductivity and UV detections is described. The background conductance of 1-octanesulfonic acid, hexane sulfonic acid and sulfuric acid at varying concentrations was determined. Using 0.2 mM 1-octanesulfonic acid as a mobile...

Arginase is a binuclear manganese metalloenzyme that serves as a therapeutic target for the treatment of asthma, erectile dysfunction, and atherosclerosis. In order to better understand the molecular basis of inhibitor affinity, we have employed site-directed mutagenesis, enzyme kinetics, and X-ray crystallography to probe the molecular recognition of the amino acid moiety (i.e., the ?-amino and ?-carboxylate groups) of substrate l-arginine and inhibitors in the active site of arginase I. Specifically, we focus on (1) a water-mediated hydrogen bond between the substrate ?-carboxylate and T135, (2) a direct hydrogen bond between the substrate ?-carboxylate and N130, and (3) a direct charged hydrogen bond between the substrate ?-amino group and D183. Amino acid substitutions for T135, N130, and D183 generally compromise substrate affinity as reflected by increased KM values but have less pronounced effects on catalytic function as reflected by minimal variations of kcat. As with substrate KM values, inhibitor Kd values increase for binding to enzyme mutants and suggest that the relative contribution of intermolecular interactions to amino acid affinity in the arginase active site is water-mediated hydrogen bond < direct hydrogen bond < direct charged hydrogen bond. Structural comparisons of arginase with the related binuclear manganese metalloenzymes agmatinase and proclavaminic acid amidinohydrolase suggest that the evolution of substrate recognition in the arginase fold occurs by mutation of residues contained in specificity loops flanking the mouth of the active site (especially loops 4 and 5), thereby allowing diverse guanidinium substrates to be accommodated for catalysis.

A simple isocratic HPLC method has been developed for the simultaneous quantification of two bioactive triterpenes, ursolic acid and ursolic acid lactone in E. tereticornis leaves. Samples were analyzed on RP-18 (4.6 x 250 mm, 5 {sup m}u{sup m}) column with methanol and water acidified to pH 3.5 with TFA (88:12) at 210 nm. The method was validated and applied for the simultaneous quantification of the individual triterpenes in E. tereticornis extract. The calibration curves were linear over a concentration range of 0.05-0.3 mg mL{sup -1} (r = 0.999 and 0.998, respectively). The limits of detection and quantification were 0.190 and 0.644 {mu}g for ursolic acid, and 0.176 and 0.587 {mu}g for ursolic acid lactone, while the percentage recoveries were 97.32 and 96.23% for ursolic acid and ursolic acid lactone, respectively. This is the first report on the HPLC method of ursolic acid lactone with high precision and accuracy. (author)

Full Text Available Haloacetic acids are found in chlorinated water with high organic matter content. An analytical method based on a US EPA method for measuring these compounds in water is described. The optimized method used diethyl ether as extraction solvent with sulphuric acid-methanol as esterification agent and subsequent detection by gas chromatography-electron capture detection. Evaluation of this method showed that it was linear in the concentration range of 10 to 150 µg L-1 and the method detection limits were from 17 to 57 µg L-1. Although the method demonstrated low recoveries (16 to 43%, it is useful in the quantitative determination of monochloroacetic acid as well as the qualitative determination of other haloacetic acids in water. Drinking water samples taken from different areas in Metro Manila serviced by the local treatment plants were analysed using the method. Monochloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid, and bromochloroacetic acid were detected in these samples. Monochloroacetic acid was quantified and found in concentrations ranging from 19 to 157 µg L-1. In most of the water samples, the concentration of monochloroacetic acid exceeded the US EPA maximum allowable total concentration of 60 µg L-1 for the five haloacetic acids (monochloro-, dichloro-, trichloro-, monobromo-, and dibromoacetic acids in drinking water. This initial study established the occurrence of potentially harmful haloacetic acids in the local drinking water supplies.

Full Text Available The acid properties of palygorskite clay (R1 were studied using n-butylamine as probe molecule. A comparison was made of these properties in palygorskite clay (R1, in an acidified palygorskite (R2 and in acid palygorskite loaded with 2% of lanthanum (R3. The total acid properties were determined by FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared and TG-DTA (thermogravimetry. The acidity increased as follows: R3>R2>R1. The acid strength sites were classified as physisorbed, weak, medium and strong. The acid treatment did not change the site distribution, apparently only removing channel impurities. The introduction of lanthanum created many more acid sites and increased the specific area. Both weak and strong sites, which increased significantly, were considered new active acid sites produced by the lanthanum.

Purpose: Fruit juice is a nutrient rich food product with a direct connection to public health. The purpose of this research was to determine the amino acid profile of juices and provide a quick and accurate indicator for determining their authenticity. Methods: The method of analysis was HPLC with fluorescence detector and pre-column derivatization by orthophtaldialdehyde (OPA). Sixty-six samples of fruit juices were analyzed, and fourteen amino acids were identified and determined in the...

The surface acidity of raw and acid activated palygorskite clay were studied by acid-base potentiometric titration. The Gran plot method was applied for the hydroxide titration and the total surface site (Hs) and the average number of protons reacted per surface site (Z) of palygorskite samples at a given ionic strength were calculated. Acid treatment increases the clay acidity and modifies its surface charge. The point of zero charge value, determined by the common crossing point of Z vs pH ...

Studies were carried out to develop a simple, rapid and accurate HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of Orotic Acid and Folic Acid in pharmaceutical formulation. The separation was done on ODS column by the application of isocratic reversed-phase liquid chromatographic technique. Mobile phase consisted of 800 ml phosphate buffer pH 7.2 and 70 ml methanol. The method was successfully used for the determination of these drugs in the presence of additives and excipients, which were normally encountered in pharmaceutical formulations. The proposed method of analysis was applied for the individual analysis of both these constituents in their pure forms and found equally effective. (author)

A CZE method for the separation and quantitation of phenolic acids (cinnamic, syringic, p-coumaric, vanillic, caffeic, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic, protocatechuic), extracted from extra virgin olive oil, was developed. The sample preparation involved the LLE and SPE extraction methods. CE separation was performed in a fused silica capillary of I.D.= 50microm using as a BGE 40 mM borate buffer at pH=9.2. The separation voltage was 18kV with corresponding current of 27-28 microA. Detection was accomplished with UV-detector at lambda=200nm. The proposed method was fully validated. A good repeatability of migration time (RSD% ranged from 0.81 to 1.63) and of corrected peak area (RSD% from 2.89 to 5.77) was obtained. The linearity of detector response in the range from 5 to 50 ppm was checked, obtaining the correlation coefficient R2 values in the range: 0.9919-0.9997. Some phenolic acids in real oil samples were detected and quantified with the proposed method. PMID:15506620

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method with diode-array detection (DAD) was used to identify and quantify free and total phenolic acids (m-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid, gallic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, o-coumaric acid, m-coumaric acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, sinapic acid, chlorogenic acid, and ellagic acid) in plant foods. Free phenolic acids were extracted with a mixture of methanol and 10% acetic acid. Bound phenolic acids were liberated using first alkaline and then acid hydrolysis followed by extraction with diethyl ether/ethyl acetate (1:1). All fractions were quantified separately by HPLC. After HPLC quantification, results of alkali and acid hydrolysates were calculated to represent total phenolic acids. Ellagic acid was quantified separately after long (20 h) acid hydrolysis. The methods developed were effective for the determination of phenolic acids in plant foods. DAD response was linear for all phenolic acids within the ranges evaluated, with correlation coefficients exceeding 0.999. Coefficients of variation for 4-8 sample replicates were consistently below 10%. Recovery tests of phenolic acids were performed for every hydrolysis condition using several samples. Recoveries were generally good (mean >90%) with the exceptions of gallic acid and, in some cases, caffeic acid samples. PMID:12059140

Soils have been shown to possess a strong microbial trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-degrading activity. High TCA-degradation rate was also observed during soil extraction with water. For correct measurements of TCA levels in soil all TCA-degrading activities have to be inhibited immediately after sampling before analysis. We used rapid freezing of soil samples (optimally in liquid nitrogen) with subsequent storage and slow thawing before analysis as an efficient technique for suppressing the degradation. Frozen soil samples stored overnight at −20 °C and then thawed slowly exhibited very low residual TCA-degrading activity for several hours. Omitting the above procedure could lead to the confusing differences between the TCA levels previously reported in the literature

A simple and sensitive spectrofluorimetric procedure for the analysis of microquantities of gallium in alloy wasdescribed. The method is based on the formation of Ga(Ⅲ)-CCA (calon-carboxylic acid) complex. The emission of thefluorescent complex was measured at λ = 620 nm with excitation at λ = 584 nm. A good linearity was found in the galliumrange of 0.7-280 ng/mL. The precision of the method is good and the relative standard deviation is 1.9% for a gallium stan-dard solution of 70 ng/mL. The procedure was proved to be suitable in terms of accuracy and selectivity for the mi-croamount of gallium in alloy.

Full Text Available This study has demonstrated a rapid spectroscopic method for the determination of chlorine dioxide and hypochlorous acid concentrations in the pulp bleaching processes. It was found that chlorine dioxide and hypochlorous acid have an isosbestic wavelength of 295 nm. The soluble lignin in such a system is the main interference, but can be corrected by determining the absorbances at 295 nm, 380 nm, and 480 nm. Thus, based on the spectroscopic measurements at 295 nm (the isosbestic point wavelength for chlorine dioxide and hypochlorous acid, 380 nm (absorbance wavelength of chlorine dioxide and 480 nm (the acid soluble lignin absorbance wavelength, the chlorine dioxide and hypochlorous acid concentrations in the bleaching process can be quantified. However, hypochlorous acid was not detected in the real bleaching effluent for its low content. The present method is simple, rapid, accurate, and has the potential for on-line monitoring of the chlorine dioxide bleaching process.

A gas chromatographic method for determining formic acid in human urine is described. The analytical reliability of this method fullfills the criteria of statistical quality control. The rate of recovery is 101.2 to 105.7% the variability coefficients lie between 2.9 and 7.2%. The selectivity of this method is demonstrated by analysing a group of components normally occuring in urine which did not interfere with the determination of formic acid. The detection limit of about 4.3 mumol/1 formic acid in urine permits the determination of the concentration of formic acid in the urine of normal persons. The concentrations of formic acid in the urine of a group of normal persons lies between 0 and 2.79 mmol/1. The average concentration was 0.39 +/- 0.60 mmol/1. PMID:1249528

To develop a fluorimetric high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique for uronic acid microanalysis, a saline mobile phase and the postcolumn fluorimetric determination were combined. The detection limits of D-glucuronic, D-galacturonic and D-mannuronic acids were 7.19, 23.88 and 7.08 pmol, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to uronic acid microanalysis in a polysaccharide hydrolysate and a drink. PMID:16956616

Determination of free acid plays an important role in spent nuclear fuel reprocessing. It is necessary to develop a rapid analytical device and method for measuring free acid. A novel analytical system and method was studied to monitor the acidity

Highlights: > A molybdenum (VI) complex-carbon nanotube paste electrode have been fabricated. > This electrode reduced the oxidation potential of isoproterenol by about 175 mV. > It resolved the voltammetric waves of isoproterenol, uric acid and folic acid. - Abstract: This paper describes the development, electrochemical characterization and utilization of a novel modified molybdenum (VI) complex-carbon nanotube paste electrode for the electrocatalytic determination of isoproterenol (IP). The electrochemical profile of the proposed modified electrode was analyzed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) that showed a shift of the oxidation peak potential of IP at 175 mV to less positive value, compared with an unmodified carbon paste electrode. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (PBS) at pH 7.0 was performed to determine IP in the range from 0.7 to 600.0 {mu}M, with a detection limit of 35.0 nM. Then the modified electrode was used to determine IP in an excess of uric acid (UA) and folic acid (FA) by DPV. Finally, this method was used for the determination of IP in some real samples.

Annihilation of the contribution of one chemical component from the original data matrix is a general method in rank annihilation factor analysis (RAFA). However, RAFA is not applicable for studying the protonation equilibria of multiprotic acids. In this work, a two-rank annihilation factor analysis (TRAFA) method was proposed for determination of the acidity constants of diprotic acids. After recording the electronic absorbance spectra of the acids at different pH, the contributions of both H2A and A2- were annihilated from the absorbance data, which made feasible the determination of two successive acidity constants. The method was validated by analysis of simulated data and its application to the determination of the acidity constants of calmagite, as a reference compound. A close agreement was obtained between the resulted values by TRAFA and the declared values. Indeed, the method was used for determination of the acidity constants of two new chromenone derivatives in binary solvents mixtures of methanol and water. The effects of changing solvent composition on acidity constant data were explained by linear solvation free energy relationships (LSFER) utilizing solvatochromic parameters

Extracton of vanadium(3, 4, 5) complexes with benzohydroxamic and salicylhydroxamic acids by using mixture (3:2) of heptyl alcohol with carbon tetrachloride has been studied. Physicochemical characteristics of the complexes have been found. A method has been developed for the extraction-photometric determination of vanadium (4, 5) with the use of salicylhydroxamic acid

Recent methodological approaches of molecular genetics allow isolation of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) from negligible forensic samples. Analysis of these molecules may be used not only for individual identification based on DNA profiling but also for the detection of origin of the body fluid which (alone or in mixture with other body fluids) forms the examined biological trace. Such an examination can contribute to the evaluation of procedural, technical and tactical value of the trace. Molecular genetic approaches discussed in the review offer new possibilities in comparison with traditional spectrum of chemical, immunological and spectroscopic tests especially with regard to the interpretation of mixtures of biological fluids and to the confirmatory character of the tests. Approaches based on reverse transcription of tissue specific mRNA and their subsequent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fragmentation analysis are applicable on samples containing minimal amounts of biological material. Methods for body fluid discrimination based on examination of microRNA in samples provided so far confusing results therefore further development in this field is needed. The examination of tissue specific methylation of nucleotides in selected gene sequences seems to represent a promising enrichment of the methodological spectrum. The detection of DNA sequences of tissue related bacteria has been established and it provides satisfactory results mainly in combination with above mentioned methodological approaches. PMID:26419517

Health authorities around the world advise 'limiting consumption of trans fatty acid', however in Australia the trans fatty acid (TFA) content is not required to be listed in the nutrition information panel unless a declaration or nutrient claim is made about fatty acids or cholesterol. Since there is limited knowledge about trans fatty acid levels in processed foods available in Australia, this study aimed to determine the levels of TFA in selected food items known to be sources of TFA from previously published studies. Food items (n=92) that contain vegetable oil and a total fat content greater than 5% were included. This criterion was used in conjunction with a review of similar studies where food items were found to contain high levels of trans fatty acids. Lipids were extracted using solvents. Gravimetric methods were used to determine total fat content and trans fatty acid levels were quantified by Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. High levels of trans fatty acids were found in certain items in the Australian food supply, with a high degree of variability. Of the samples analysed, 13 contained greater than 1 g of trans fatty acids per serving size, the highest value was 8.1 g/serving. Apart from when the nutrition information panel states that the content is less than a designated low level, food labels sold in Australia do not indicate trans fatty acid levels. We suggested that health authorities seek ways to assist consumers to limit their intakes of trans fatty acids. PMID:18818158

Describes an experiment designed to determine ascorbic acid concentrations in natural orange juice. The experiment is used with undergraduate pharmacy students to allow understanding of the principles of operation of the coulometer and polarograph. (DDR)

An automatic sequential injection system, combining monosegmented flow analysis, sequential injection analysis and sequential injection titration is proposed for aciditydetermination. The system enables controllable sample dilution and generation of standards of required concentration in a monosegmented sequential injection manner, sequential injection titration of the prepared solutions, data collecting, and handling. It has been tested on spectrophotometric determination of acetic, citric and phosphoric acids with sodium hydroxide used as a titrant and phenolphthalein or thymolphthalein (in the case of phosphoric aciddetermination) as indicators. Accuracy better than |4.4|% (RE) and repeatability better than 2.9% (RSD) have been obtained. It has been applied to the determination of total acidity in vinegars and various soft drinks. The system provides low sample (less than 0.3 mL) consumption. On average, analysis of a sample takes several minutes. PMID:21641455

A simple and highly sensitive spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) as a marker for lipid peroxidation in fried fast foods. The method uses the reaction of malondialdehyde (MDA) and TBA in the glacial acetic acid medium. The method was precise, sensitive, and highly reproducible for quantitative determination of TBARS. The precision of extractions and analytical procedure was very high as compared to the reported methods. The method was used to determine the TBARS contents in the fried fast foods such as Shami kebab, samosa, fried bread, and potato chips. Shami kebab, samosa, and potato chips have higher amount of TBARS in glacial acetic acid-water extraction system than their corresponding pure glacial acetic acid and vice versa in fried bread samples. The method can successfully be used for the determination of TBARS in other food matrices, especially in quality control of food industries. PMID:27123360

Full Text Available A simple and highly sensitive spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS as a marker for lipid peroxidation in fried fast foods. The method uses the reaction of malondialdehyde (MDA and TBA in the glacial acetic acid medium. The method was precise, sensitive, and highly reproducible for quantitative determination of TBARS. The precision of extractions and analytical procedure was very high as compared to the reported methods. The method was used to determine the TBARS contents in the fried fast foods such as Shami kebab, samosa, fried bread, and potato chips. Shami kebab, samosa, and potato chips have higher amount of TBARS in glacial acetic acid-water extraction system than their corresponding pure glacial acetic acid and vice versa in fried bread samples. The method can successfully be used for the determination of TBARS in other food matrices, especially in quality control of food industries.

Studies of complex formation of bisazo derivatives of chromotropic acid with rare earth ions and aminoglycoside antibiotics have made it possible to choose carboxyarsenazo, orthanyl R and carboxynitrazo as highly sensitive reagents for determining aminoglycoside antibiotics. Conditions have been found for the formation of precipitates of different-ligand complexes containing rare earth ions, bisazo derivatives of chromotropic acid and aminogylcoside antibiotics. A procedure has been worked out of determining the antibiotics in biological samples with carboxyarsenazo

This study has demonstrated a rapid spectroscopic method for the determination of chlorine dioxide and hypochlorous acid concentrations in the pulp bleaching processes. It was found that chlorine dioxide and hypochlorous acid have an isosbestic wavelength of 295 nm. The soluble lignin in such a system is the main interference, but can be corrected by determining the absorbances at 295 nm, 380 nm, and 480 nm. Thus, based on the spectroscopic measurements at 295 nm (the isosbestic point wavelen...

The determination of fluoride, nitrate, sulphate and phosphate ions in crude phosphoric acid by means of ion chromatography is described. A previous separation of interferent cations was made by using a cationic resin or EDTA complexation. The last alternative allowed more reproductible results. The technique described is very quick and is being applied for the simultaneous determination of impurities in phosphoric acid and its own phosphospate concentration. The method is quick and has good reprodutibility. (author)

A simple and highly sensitive spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) as a marker for lipid peroxidation in fried fast foods. The method uses the reaction of malondialdehyde (MDA) and TBA in the glacial acetic acid medium. The method was precise, sensitive, and highly reproducible for quantitative determination of TBARS. The precision of extractions and analytical procedure was very high as compared to the reported metho...

Surfactants have been shown to inhibit the anaerobic digestion process severely, with the methanogenic microorganisms being the most affected. The diverse nature of surfactants used even in one (e.g. textile finishing) plant makes an online determination of surfactants sometimes very difficult and expensive. Therefore a fast online determination of inhibitory effects on the acidogenic microorganisms (first step of the degradation cascade) can help to give an early warning signal or to calculate a "pseudo"-surfactant concentration. In a two-phase system this information can be used to protect the methanogenic reactor against surfactant overloading and its long term negative effects. In this paper it is shown that the inhibition is a consequence of microbial inhibition and is not caused by an inactivation of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes (released by the cells for biopolymer cleavage). A titration technique was successfully employed to measure the surfactant inhibition in a laboratory-scale acidification reactor. Additional experiments demonstrate (using sodium dodecyl sulfate as the model substance) how inhibitory effects (and strategies to overcome inhibitory effects) can be investigated efficiently. PMID:14979534

Orotic acid is an intermediate in the synthesis pathway of uridine-5'-monophosphate, and increases in body fluids of patients suffering from hereditary disorders such as orotic aciduria and hyperammonemia. In this study, we developed a spectrofluorometric method with or without high-performance liquid chromatography for the selective and sensitive quantification of orotic acid in human biological specimens, using 4-trifluoromethylbenzamidoxime (4-TFMBAO) as a fluorogenic reagent. This reagent provided intensive fluorescence for only orotic acid amongst 62 compounds including structurally related bio-substances such as nucleic acid bases, nucleosides, nucleotides, amino acids, vitamins, bilirubin, uric acid, urea, creatine, creatinine and sugars. Under optimized reaction conditions, orotic acid was reacted with 4-TFMBAO, K3[Fe(CN)6] and K2CO3 in an aqueous solution. The fluorescence produced from the orotic acid derivative was measured at an excitation of 340 nm and an emission of 460 nm. A concentration of 1.2 μM orotic acid per 1.0 mM creatinine in normal urine and 0.64 nmol orotic acid per 5.0 × 10(5) HeLa cells were determined by this method. The present method permitted the facile quantification of orotic acid in healthy human urine and cultured HeLa cells by spectrofluorometry and/or high-performance liquid chromatography. PMID:26026930

Ion formation may be made more efficient than in normal electrospray ionization (ESI) for certain classes of compounds, such as the polar amino acids Glu, Asn, His, Ser, Asp, Arg, Tyr and Lys, by adjusting the voltage of a normal ESI interface needle to zero voltage. For aspartic acid (Asp) the...... mechanism related to sonic spray ionization. The utility of the zero needle voltage ESI was illustrated by determining the age of a human tooth by the aspartic acid epimerization method. The procedure involved separating the D- and L-aspartic acid of a tooth extract on a chiral HPLC column and detection by...

Translation systems and other compositions including orthogonal aminoacyl tRNA-synthetases that preferentially charge an orthogonal tRNA with an iodinated or brominated amino acid are provided. Nucleic acids encoding such synthetases are also described, as are methods and kits for producing proteins including heavy atom-containing amino acids, e.g., brominated or iodinated amino acids. Methods of determining the structure of a protein, e.g., a protein into which a heavy atom has been site-specifically incorporated through use of an orthogonal tRNA/aminoacyl tRNA-synthetase pair, are also described.

A simple and rapid spectrophotometric method for the determination of ascorbic acid is proposed. Ascorbic acid reduces iron (III) to iron (II) which forms a red colored complex with dimethylglyoxime in the presence of pyridine. The absorbance of the resulting solution is measured at 514 nm and a linear relationship between absorbance and concentration of ascorbic acid is observed up to 14 μg ml-1. Studies on the interference of substances usually associated with ascorbic acid have been carried out and the applicability of the method has been tested by analysing pharmaceutical preparations of vitamin C

The electrochemical oxidation of salicylic acid (SA) has been studied on a glassy carbon electrode using cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) method. SA gives a single irreversible oxidation wave over the wide pH range studied. The irreversibility of the electrode process was verified by different criteria. The mechanism of oxidation is discussed. Using differential pulse voltammetry, SA yielded a well-defined voltammetric response in Britton-Robinson buffer solution, pH 2.37 at 1.088V (versus Ag/AgCl). The method was linear over the SA concentration range: 1-60mugml(-1). The method was successfully applied for the analysis of SA as a hydrolysis product, in solid pharmaceutical formulations containing acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). PMID:18969288

Many various methods were applied to determine dopamine and ascorbic acid simultaneously using hazardous materials and complex procedures. Derivative absorption spectra can give safely and five sensitive derivative equations that are used for the simultaneous determination of dopamine and ascorbic acid in the UV region, using first and second derivative spectroscopy with high precision at pH value of 9.2. Dopamine and ascorbic acid can be detected in the ranges of 0.375–9.45 mg L−1 and 0.352–...

A method for determining silica in silicates by differential spectrophotometry, using β-molybdosilic acid, is described. The sample is attacked by a mixture of boron trioxide and lithium carbonate (10:1). α-molydbosilicic acid is developed in a buffered solution (pH approximatelly 3.9) containing acetic acid and sodium acetate. The analytical procedure involves a series of preliminary steps which were previously elaborated for the gravimetric determination of silica as oxine molybdosilicate and which account for the removal of phosphorus, titanium and zirconium through ion exchange resins. (C.L.B.)

Full Text Available It was found that cinnamic acid can react with potassium permanganate in the acidic medium and produce chemiluminescence, which was greatly enhanced by glyoxal. Under the optimum conditions, the linear range for the determination of cinnamic acid was 1.0×10-8 to 1.0×10-4 mol L-1 with a detection limit of 8.0×10-9 mol L-1, the relative standard deviation was 1.7% for 2.0×10-6 mol L-1 cinnamic acid solution in nine repeated measurements. This method was found to be novel0simple0fast and sensitive, it was successfully applied to the determination of cinnamic acid in human urine. Furthermore, the possible reaction mechanism was also discussed.

A simple, rapid and automatic fluorimetric method for the determination of total ascorbic acid is described. The method makes use of the stopped-flow mixing technique in order to achieve the rapid oxidation of ascorbic acid by dissolved oxygen to dehydroascorbic acid, which then reacts with o-phenylenediamine to form a fluorescent quinoxaline. The initial rate and fluorescence signal of this system are directly proportional to the ascorbic acid concentration. The calibration graph was linear over the range 0.1-30 microg ml(-1) (kinetic method) and 0.25-34 microg ml(-1) (equilibrium method). The precision (% RSD) was close to 0.5%. The method has been used for the determination of ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical formulations, fruit juices, soft drinks and blood serum. PMID:11534621

A fiber optic aided spectrophotometric technique has been developed for the determination of free acidity in nuclear fuel reprocessing streams. The developed method is simple, accurate and applicable to all ranges of nitric acid and heavy metal concentrations relevant to the purex process. The method is based on the formation of yellow colour with an acid-sensitive indicator such as chrome azurol s, the intensity of yellow colour is proportional to the acid concentration. The system obeys Lambert-Beer's law at 455 nm in the range of acidity 1-10 M of nitric acid. The results obtained are reproducible with standard deviation 2% and relative error is less than 3%. The results obtained by the developed technique are in good agreement with those obtained by the standard procedure. This method is adaptable for remote operation and on-line monitoring. (author)

Hazelnut, walnut, almonds, and pistachio nuts were treated with 1, 3, 5, and 7 kGy of gamma irradiation, respectively. Oil content, free fatty acid, peroxide value, and fatty acid composition of the nuts were investigated immediately after irradiation. The data obtained from the experiments indicated that gamma irradiation did not cause any significant change in the oil content of nuts. In contrast, free fatty acid and peroxide value of the nuts increased proportionally to the dose (p<0.05). Among the fatty acidsdetermined, the concentration of total saturated fatty acids increased while total monounsaturated and total polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased with the irradiation dose (p<0.05 and <0.01).

Hazelnut, walnut, almonds, and pistachio nuts were treated with 1, 3, 5, and 7 kGy of gamma irradiation, respectively. Oil content, free fatty acid, peroxide value, and fatty acid composition of the nuts were investigated immediately after irradiation. The data obtained from the experiments indicated that gamma irradiation did not cause any significant change in the oil content of nuts. In contrast, free fatty acid and peroxide value of the nuts increased proportionally to the dose (p<0.05). Among the fatty acidsdetermined, the concentration of total saturated fatty acids increased while total monounsaturated and total polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased with the irradiation dose (p<0.05 and <0.01).

A gas-liquid chromatographic procedure has been developed to quantitate dipicolinic acid in bacterial spores. The culture, washed from a plate, was hydrolyzed with acid containing the internal standard, pyridine-2,4-dicarboxylate, and then extracted into methyl isobutyl ketone. The internal standard and dipicolinic acid were then extracted into a small volume of trimethylphenylammonium hydroxide. Injection of the resultant quaternary ammonium salts into a gas chromatograph yielded, via thermal decomposition, the methyl ester derivatives of the dipicolinic acid and the internal standard. The amount of dipicolinic acid in the sample was determined from a standard curve. The method was sensitive to 100 ng of dipicolinic acid per sample and was 1,000 to 5,000 times more sensitive than the commonly used methods. Preparation of the sample required less than 1.5 h and less than 15 min of the analyst's time. PMID:942206

Full Text Available Vitamin C is an essential vitamin for human nutrition; with the L-ascorbic acid (AA being the active form of vitamin C. Hence, determination of the L-ascorbic acid in the natural and processed foods is very important. In the past, plenty of methods based on the reversible redox reaction of AA oxidation/DHA reduction were developed. Because of L-ascorbic acid instability in aqueous solutions, it is useful to analyze various types of extraction. The aim of this study is to compare three different methods and three different extractants for the L-ascorbic aciddetermination. Fruits (kiwi, lemon, orange, and grapefruit were purchased from a local market. The L-ascorbic acid in these four samples was determined by the three different methods: the AOAC, the HPLC method with three different types of extractions, and the colorimetric method using ascorbate-oxidase. For the HPLC measurements, one part of the fruits was extracted with distilled water, the second with potassium hydrogen phosphate, and the third with 3% meta-phosphoric acid (MPA in 8% acetic acid. The HPLC measurements of each sample were repeated three times, the AOAC titration was repeated five times, and in the calorimetric method three measurements were performed. The results were statistically evaluated related to sample basis. Statistical analysis shows that there is a significant difference between the results for all three methods of extraction for all samples, except for the grapefruit sample where no significant difference was observed between the results obtained after the buffer extraction (E2 and the metaphosphoric acid in acetic acid extraction (E3. Discriminative analysis for the HPLC determinations proves that there is a clear difference and defined border between the samples in relation to the methods of extraction during the HPLC determination.

A rapid method was developed for the determination of dibutylphosphoric acid (DBP), a degradation product of tributylphosphate (TBP), which is used in a solvent extraction process for recovery of uranium. DBP, along with any monobutylphosphoric acid (MBP) and phosphoric acid, are extracted from the organic phase into dilute sodium hydroxide. DBP is separated from MBP and phosphoric acid by ion chromatography (IC) and is determined on a peak height ratio basis. The method required only 30 minutes per analysis as compared to the conventional alumina column separation-colorimetric determination procedure, which requires eight hours to complete. DBP has been quantified to a lower limit of 1.5 mg/l. Relative standard deviations ranging from 5.7 to 0.4% were obtained for DBP concentrations ranging from 1.5 to 500 mg/l, respectively

A simple, rapid, sensitive and selective method for simultaneously determining 2-naphthoxyacetic acid (BNOA) and Indole-3-Acetic Acid (IAA) in mixtures has been developed using derivation synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy based on their synchronous fluorescence. The synchronous fluorescence spectra were obtained with Δλ = 100 nm in a pH 8.5 NaH2PO4-NaOH buffer solution, and the detected wavelengths of quantitative analysis were set at 239 nm for BNOA and 293 nm for IAA respectively. The over lapped fluorescence spectra were well separated by the synchronous derivative method. Under optimized conditions, the limits of detection (LOD) were 0.003 μg/mL for BNOA and 0.012 μg/mL for IAA. This method is simple and expeditious, and it has been successfully applied to the determination of 2-naphthoxyacetic acid and indole-3-acetic acid in fruit juice samples with satisfactory results. The samples were only filtrated through a 0.45 μm membrane filter, which was free from the tedious separation procedures. The obtaining recoveries were in the range of 83.88-87.43% for BNOA and 80.76-86.68% for IAA, and the relative standard deviations were all less than 5.0%. Statistical comparison of the results with high performance liquid chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS) method revealed good agreement and proved that there were no significant difference in the accuracy and precision between these two methods.

In this study, a microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) method was developed to analyze and detect several aromatic acids (benzoic acid (BA), isophthalic acid (IPA), terephthalic acid (TPA), p-toluic acid (p-TA), 4-carboxylbenzaldehyde (4-CBA), trimesic acid (TSA), trimellitic acid (TMA), o-phthalic acid (OPA), and hemimellitic acid (HMA)), which are common organic impurities produced by liquid-phase catalytic oxidation of p-xylene to TPA. The effects of microemulsion composition, column temperature, column length and applied voltage were examined in order to optimize the aromatic acid separations. This work demonstrated that variation in the concentration of surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)) and oil phase (octane) had a pronounced effect on separation of the nine aromatic acids. It was also found that a decrease in column length had the greatest effect on shortening separation time and improving separation resolution for these aromatic acids when compared to that of an increase in column temperature or applied voltage. However, the nature and concentration of cosurfactants and organic modifiers were found to play only minor roles in the separation mechanism. Thus, a separation with baseline resolution was achieved within 14 min by using a microemulsion solution of pH 2.0 containing 3.7% SDS, 0.975% octane, and 5.0% cyclohexanol; and a 50-cm capillary column (effective length of 40-cm) at 26 degrees C. As a result, the developed MEEKC method successfully determined eight impurities of aromatic acids in the mother liquors produced from the oxidation synthesis of TPA. PMID:19167001

A simple analytical procedure for the sequential determination of uranium (IV), free acidity and hydrazine in presence of hydrolysable ions is developed and described. In this method, first, uranium (IV) is determined using fiber optic aided spectrophotometry then same solution is used for determination of free acidity and hydrazine. Free acid is titrated with standard sodium carbonate solution after uranium (IV) is masked with EDTA. Once the end point for the free acid is determined at pH 3.0, an aliquot of formaldehyde is added to liberate the acid equivalent to hydrazine which is then titrated with the same standard sodium carbonate solution using an automatic titration system. The described method is simple, accurate and reproducible. The overall recovery of uranium (IV), nitric acid and hydrazine is 98% with 3% relative standard deviation respectively. The major advantage of the method is that it uses sodium carbonate a primary standard as titrant and generation of corrosive analytical wastes containing oxalate or sulphate is avoided. Valuable metals like uranium and plutonium can easily be recovered from analytical waste before final disposal. (author)

Two polymeric thin film modified electrodes, poly-niacinamide/glassy carbon electrode (poly-NA/GCE) and poly-nicotinic acid/glassy carbon electrode (poly-NC/GCE), have be fabricated at glassy carbon electrodes by sim-ple electropolymerization of niacinamide (NA) in different potential scan ranges of cyclic voltammetry (CV). These two electrodes all showed catalytic ability towards the oxidation of dopamine (DA), uric acid (UA) and ascorbie acid (AA) by obvious reductions of overpotentials, giving well-resolved voltammetric peaks, which allow simulta-neously determination of DA, UA and AA. The poly-NC/GCE showed even higher electrocatalytic activity than the poly-NA/GCE. The electrochemical behavior of poly-NC/GCE was investigated by CV and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) for determination of DA, UA and AA. The linear ranges of the concentration for the determination of AA, DA and UA using DPV were 75-3000, 0.37-16 and 0.741--230 μmol·L-1, respectively. The slopes of the linear calibration curves for the detection were estimated to be 5.6, 1140 and 102 mA·L·mol-1 for AA, DA and UA, respectively. The poly-NC/GCE shows excellent sensitivity, good selectivity and antifouling properties.

A novel kinetic method for determination of trace amounts of cobalt ion was proposed and validated. The method is based on adding malic acid into classical Belousov-Zhabotinskii (B-Z) oscillating chemical system to form a double substrate one. The results showed that when the concentration of cobalt ion was in the range of 5.27× 10-8 to 5.37×10-12mol L-1 the change of the oscillating period was directly proportional to the negative logarithm of cobalt ion concentration. The sensitivity and precision of the developed method were quite satisfactory. The limit of detection was down to 5.20 x 10-13 mol L-1 which was a highest sensitivity found for determination of metal ions using oscillating chemical reaction so far. Some factors influencing the determination were also examined. The method has been successfully used to determine cobalt ion in vitamin B12 injection.

This work presents: 1) The methodology and the experimental conditions of the PIXE technique so that it is used as a better option inside the analytical methods in aerosols studies, 2) The development, tests and applications of a cascade impactor of the Batelle type built to determine particle size to use it jointly with the mentioned technique in the determination of the elements concentration according to its size.By this way is fulfilled with the first goal of this extensive project. (Author)

A new chemiluminescence flow system has been developed for sequential determina-tion of benzoic acid based on the reaction of the compound with copper carbonate entrapped in a solid-phase reactor. It was found that the unsaturated complex of Cu(II) and benzoic acid (1:1) has strong catalytic effect on the luminol-H2O2 chemiluminescence reaction. The calibration graph is linear over the range of 0.025 ~ 60 μg/mL of benzoic acid, with a relative standard deviation of less than 3.0 %, and the detection limit is 0.01μg@mL-1. The proposed method was applied to the determination of benzoic acid content in different pharmaceutical formulations.

A new ion exclusion HPLC procedure accomplished with a pulsed electrochemical detection for the determination of several common aliphatic acids is described. A triple-step waveform of the applied potentials, based on the formation/inhibition of PtOH species on the electrode surface, is successfully used for sensitive detection of several aliphatic acids in flowing systems avoiding pre- or postcolumn derivatization and/or cleanup procedures. Under optimal chromatographic conditions (i.e., 50 mM HClO(4)) the proposed method allowed detection limits between 0.5 and 7 microM for all investigated acids, and the dynamic linear range spanned generally over 1 or 2 orders of magnitude. Determination of citric, malic, tartaric, lactic, formic, and acetic acids in several foods and beverages was performed, in approximately 15 min, without the necessity of any sample pretreatment. PMID:11754537

Uranium content in phosphoric and sulfuric acids is determined. The uranium was measured through the fission track registration technique, using Makrofol KG, 10 μg thick, as detector. The so-called 'wet' method was adopted and the acid samples were used directly as irradiation medium. This proceeding showed the advantages of simple sample preparation and avoided the need of changing the acid samples media to nitric medium, as commonly used. The analysis of the sulfuric acid samples showed uranium contents under the detection limit of the technique (4 ppb). The results found for phosphoric acid samples ranged from 31 to 845 ppm, with experimental errors between 7.9 and 9.7%. (Author)

In this study, detection of 20 FITC-derivatized amino acids using an MEEKC-LIF was demonstrated. In order to achieve good separation for hydrophobic amino acids, the MEEKC method was employed and detection limits were obtained in the range of 0.32-2.2 nM, which is comparable to previous reports on amino acid analyses. Furthermore, a significant reduction in the reaction time from 1 h for conventional derivatization to 3 min for the microwave-assisted derivatization was observed and achieved, as opposed to the traditional pretreatment of real sample due to its complexity prior to the analysis of amino acid content. Finally, this microwave-assisted derivatization MEEKC-LIF method successfully determined amino acids in beverage, food, and biological samples (rat brain) with good recovery. PMID:24535662

Determinate growth habit in sesame is not available in nature originally. The character was a mutant induced by gamma rays and has the potential to make possible mechanised harvesting in sesame by enabling synchronous flowering. Though no detailed study on fatty acids of determinate types has been recently performed, much material is available on the genotypes of indeterminates. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare determinate and indeterminate types of sesame with regard to oil cont...

A modefied Gran titration procedure for the determination of strong and weak acids in freshwater is described. The titrations are carried out by coulometric generation of hydroxide ions in the pH range 3.6-10.3. The method measures the amount of non-volatile strong and weak acids with a precision of + - 5 moles/l. Application to natural water samples is demonstrated.

Acrobic acid is key substance in the human metabolism and the rapid and accurate determination in food is of a great interest. Ascorbic acid is an electroactive compound, however poorly responded on the bare carbon paste electrodes. In this paper, brilliant cresyl blue and multi-walled carbon nanotubes were used for the modification of carbon paste electrode. Brilliant cresyl blue acts as a mediator improving the transition of electrons, whereas multiwalled carbon nanotubes increased the surf...

The partition coefficient for technical grade naphthenic acid in water/n-decane at 295 K has been determined (K-wo = 2.1 center dot 10(-4)) using a simple experimental technique with large extraction volumes (0.09 m(3) of water). Furthermore, nonequilibrium values at different pH values are...... presented. Analysis of the acid content in the oil phase was conducted by FT-IR and colormetric titration and found to be equivalent....

A new colorimetric method for determining the surface-accessible acidic lignin hydroxyl groups in lignocellulose solid fractions was developed. The method is based on selective adsorption of Azure B, a basic dye, onto acidic hydroxyl groups of lignin. Selectivity of adsorption of Azure B on lignin was demonstrated using lignin and cellulose materials as adsorbents. Adsorption isotherms of Azure B on wheat straw (WS), sugarcane bagasse (SGB), oat husk, and isolated lignin materials were determ...

An isocratic liquid chromatographic method with evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) was developed for the determination of medronic acid and its related sub- stances. Volatile pentylamine was used as the ion-pairing agent. Separations were performed on a Symmetry C8 column with an mobile phase of 98 : 2 (V : V) 30 mmol/L pentylamine (pH 5.0, adjusted with acetic acid)-methanol. The mobile phase was delivered at a flow-rate 1.0 mL/min. The method is applicable to the routine analysis and the quality con- trol of medronic acid. (authors)

The presence and relative concentration of phytohormones may be regarded as a good indicator of an organism's physiological state. The integration of the rolC gene from Agrobacterium rhizogenes and of the rat glucocorticoid receptor (gr) in Nicotiana langsdorffii Weinmann plants has shown to determine various physiological and metabolic effects. The analysis of wild and transgenic N. langsdorffii plants, exposed to different abiotic stresses (high temperature, water deficit, and high chromium concentrations) was conducted, in order to investigate the metabolic effects of the inserted genes in response to the applied stresses. The development of a new analytical procedure was necessary, in order to assure the simultaneous determination of analytes and to obtain an adequately low limit of quantification. For the first time, a sensitive HPLC-HRMS quantitative method for the simultaneous determination of salicylic acid, jasmonic acid and shikimic acid was developed and validated. The method was applied to 80 plant samples, permitting the evaluation of plant stress responses and highlighting some metabolic mechanisms. Salicylic, jasmonic and shikimic acids proved to be suitable for the comprehension of plant stress responses. Chemical and heat stresses showed to induce the highest changes in plant hormonal status, differently affecting plant response. The potential of each genetic modification toward the applied stresses was marked and particularly the resistance of the gr modified plants was evidenced. This work provides new information in the study of N. langsdorffii and transgenic organisms, which could be useful for the further application of these transgenes. PMID:26966898

A selective and accurate direct spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of L-as cor bic acid in dietary supplements. Background correction was based on the oxidation of L-ascorbic acid by potassi um peroxydisulfate in an acidic medium. The molar absorptivity of the proposed method was 1.41 · 104 l/(mol · cm) at 265 nm. The method response was linear up to an L-ascorbic acid concentration of 12.00 μg/ml. The detection limit was 0.11 μg/ml, and the relative standard deviation was 0.9 % (n = 7) for 8.00 μg/ml L-ascorbic acid. Other compounds commonly found in the dietary supplements did not interfere with the detection of L-ascorbic acid. The proposed procedure was successfully applied to the determination of L-ascorbic acid in these supplements, and the results obtained agreed with those obtained by iodine titration.

The determination of the Kr-85 activity in environmental samples and gaseous effluents from Spanish Nuclear Power Stations is described. The method employed has been published elsewhere. The determinations has been carried out in environmental samples token at JEN Laboratories (Madrid) and the Nuclear Power Stations, Jose Cabrera (Zorita), Garona and Vandellos. Also samples of gaseous effluents of the three plants has been analyzed. Values of the Kr-85 environmental background activity in the Almaraz Nuclear Power Stations, has been determined, before the beginning of its nuclear activity. In this paper the sampling equipment used is described and the values found of Kr-85 activity in all the samples in given. (Author) 29 refs.

A simple, rapid, sensitive and selective high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method with ultraviolet detection has been developed for simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid and rutin in pure forms and pharmaceutical dosage form. HPLC separation was performed on Phenomenex C18 analytical column with 0.1% v/v acetic acid in water and acetonitrile (75:25, v/v), as mobile phase. The separation was done at ambient temperature with flow rate of 1mL·min(-1) in isocratic mode. HPLC measurements were carried out using ultraviolet detection wavelength at 257nm. The average retention times were 2.72 and 7.00min for ascorbic acid and rutin, respectively. The calibration plots were constructed over the concentration range of 5.0-30.0 for ascorbic acid and 10.0-60.0μg·mL(-1) for rutin. The limits of detection were 1.06 and 1.89μg·mL(-1) and limits of quantification were 3.54 and 6.31μg·mL(-1) for ascorbic acid and rutin, respectively. The proposed HPLC-UV method was successfully applied for determination of ascorbic acid in its tablets and for simultaneous determination of the studied drugs in their laboratory prepared mixtures and in pharmaceutical formulation. Statistical comparisons of the results with the reference method show an excellent agreement and indicate no significant difference in respect to accuracy and precision. PMID:27341400

The trace determination of vanadium in hydrogeochemical samples has great significance in geochemical exploration of uranium. The international reference method for determination of vanadium in water samples by kinetic spectrophotometric method is based on the catalytic effect of vanadium (V) on the oxidation of gallic acid by persulphate in acidic solution. Though very sensitive (D.L.=1.9 ng/mL), the method demands pin pointedly timed absorbance measurement. This communication recommends the use of ascorbic acid to hold the continuously increasing absorbances of samples, standards and blank. The linear dynamic working range was extended to 400 ng/mL as compared to that of 100 ng/mL reported in literature. Effect of other ions was investigated in detail. This method was applied to the analysis of natural water samples. The determination limit obtained was 0.8 ng/ml with an RSD of ±0.19%. (author)

A simple liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) method for determination of the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) concentration to arachidonic acid (AA) concentration ratio in human saliva has been developed. The EPA/AA ratio in serum or plasma is widely recognized as a useful indicator in identifying the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially atherosclerosis. The salivary EPA/AA ratio is expected to be a convenient alternative to the serum or plasma EPA/AA ratio, because saliva offers the advantages of easy and noninvasive sampling. The saliva was deproteinized with acetonitrile, purified using an Oasis HLB cartridge, and derivatized with 1-[(4-dimethylaminophenyl)carbonyl]piperazine (DAPPZ). The derivatized EPA and AA were subjected to LC/ESI-MS/MS, and the EPA/AA ratio was determined using the selected reaction monitoring mode. The DAPPZ-derivatization increased the ESI sensitivity by 100- and 300-fold for EPA and AA, respectively, and enabled the detection of trace fatty acids in saliva using a 200 μL sample. The assay reproducibility was satisfactory (relative standard deviation, <5.0%). The method was successfully applied to the measurement of the salivary EPA/AA ratios of healthy Japanese subjects and their changes owing to the supplementation of EPA. PMID:25620210

A gas chromatographic method with alkali flame ionization detection is described for the determination of urinary total (free and conjugated) anthranilic acid (AA) and 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (HAA) as their pentafluorobenzyl esters. Prior to analysis, urine was hydrolysed using hydrochloric acid i

In this article, a novel electrochemical sensor based on pristine graphene (PG) is successfully constructed to detect ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA), and uric acid (UA). The PG is obtained by liquid-phase exfoliation of graphite and characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The sensor based on PG prepared by this method to realize simultaneous determination of AA, DA, and UA is firstly reported. The linear detection ranges for AA, DA, and UA are 9.00–2314 μM, 5.00–710 μM, and 6.00–1330 μM, respectively, with detection limits of 6.45, 2.00, and 4.82 μM. This PG based sensor exhibits excellent performance for detection of AA, DA, and UA, which is much better than those electrochemical sensors based on chemical converted graphene

Total acidity was determined in thirty-seven samples of Croatian red, white and rosé wines by potentiometric titration. In order to find the effect of the corresponding rate of the automatic titrant added, several procedures were employed. For different rates of titration, the aberrances were found from 0.1 to 0.4 g L–1 for some wines. The value of the total acid content in wine determined by the automatic potentiometric titration method was compared to that obtained by the conventional volum...

Flash pyrolysis of organic acids or of their salts gives off carbon dioxide which can be analysed by mass spectrometry for 13C and 18O abundance. This principle has been applied to Cd13C18O3 using an induction furnace, and used to determine the 13C and 18O content of the carboxylic group of some amino acids. The technique described has many advantages over the classical pyrolysis methods using sealed tubes. It is rapid and simple and especially effective in determining the isotopic composition of hygroscopic carboxyl substances. (U.K.)

Full Text Available In a previous paper adsorption isotherms of benzene vapor on natural bentonite from Ginovci, Macedonia, and forms acid activated with 10 % and 15 % solutions of hydrochloric were interpreted by means of the DubininRadushkevichStoeckli and DubininAstakhov equations; the investigation has been continued with bentonites acid activated with 10 % and 15 % solutions of sulfuric acid where X-ray analysis indicates smaller structural changes. Using the above equations, the heterogeneity of the micropores and the energetic heterogeneity of the bentonites were determined from the differential distribution of the micropore volume with respect to the structural parameter of the equations characterizing the microporous structure and to the molar free energy of adsorption. Activated bentonites obtain bigger pores but also a certain quantity of new small pores appear during acid activation with the higher concentration of acid. The micropore volumes, determined from the adsorption of benzene vapor, of bentonites activated with 10 % and 15 % solution of hydrochloric acid (144.60 cm3 kg-1 and 110.06 cm3 kg-1, respectively, decrease in comparison with that of natural bentonite (162.55 cm3 kgv.1 In contrast, the values of the micropore volume for bentonities treated with 10 % and 15 % solutions of sulfuric acids increase (169.19 cm3 kg-1 and 227.74 cm3 kg-1. That is due to the difference in the structural changes occurring during activation with hydrochloric and sulfuric acids. The values of the free energy of adsorption of benzene vapor for natural bentonite are higher than those of the acid acitivated bentonities, what is in accordance with the structural and porosity changes.

A reversed flow injection (rFI) system was designed and constructed for gallic aciddetermination. Gallic acid was determined based on the formation of chromogen between gallic acid and rhodanine, resulting in a colored product with a λmax at 520 nm. The optimum conditions for determining gallic acid were also investigated. Optimizations of the experimental conditions were carried out based on the so-call univariate method. The conditions obtained were 0.6% (w/v) rhodanine, 70% (v/v) ethanol, 0.9 mol L(-1) NaOH, 2.0 mL min(-1) flow rate, 75 μL injection loop and 600 cm mixing tubing length, respectively. Comparative optimizations of the experimental conditions were also carried out by multivariate or simplex optimization method. The conditions obtained were 1.2% (w/v) rhodanine, 70% (v/v) ethanol, 1.2 mol L(-1) NaOH, flow rate 2.5 mL min(-1), 75 μL injection loop and 600 cm mixing tubing length, respectively. It was found that the optimum conditions obtained by the former optimization method were mostly similar to those obtained by the latter method. The linear relationship between peak height and the concentration of gallic acid was obtained over the range of 0.1-35.0 mg L(-1) with the detection limit 0.081 mg L(-1). The relative standard deviations were found to be in the ranges 0.46-1.96% for 1, 10, 30 mg L(-1) of gallic acid (n=11). The method has the advantages of simplicity extremely high selectivity and high precision. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of gallic acid in longan samples without interferent effects from other common phenolic compounds that might be present in the longan samples collected in northern Thailand. PMID:25159449

In this paper, we have fabricated a modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) by electropolymerisation of spands reagent (SR) onto surface of CPE using cyclic voltammetry (CV). The developed electrode was abbreviated as poly(SR)/CPE and the surface morphology of the modified electrode was studied by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The developed electrode showed higher electrocatalytic properties towards the detection of dopamine (DA) in 0.1M phosphate buffer solution (PBS) at pH7.0. The effect of pH, scan rate, accumulation time and concentration of dopamine was studied at poly(SR)/CPE. The poly(SR)/CPE was successfully used as a sensor for the selective determination of DA in presence of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA) without any interference. The poly(SR)/CPE showed a good detection limit of 0.7 μM over the linear dynamic range of 1.6 μM to 16 μM, which is extremely lower than the reported methods. The prepared poly(SR)/CPE exhibited good stability, high sensitivity, better reproducibility, low detection limit towards the determination of DA. The developed method was also applied for the determination of DA in real samples. PMID:26354279

The composition and content of sugars, organic acids, volatiles and carotenoids, in the pulps of six grapefruit cultivars, were examined by HPLC and GC-MS. The results showed that sucrose was the dominant sugar in grapefruit, making up 40.08-59.68% of the total sugars, and the ratio of fructose to glucose was almost 1:1. Citric acid was the major organic acid and represented 39.10-63.55% of the total organic acids, followed by quininic acid. The ratios of individual sugars and organic acids play an important role in grapefruit taste determination. Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes were the predominant volatiles in grapefruit, in particular d-limonene and caryophyllene. Caryophyllene, α-humulene, humulen-(v1), β-linalool and tert-butyl 2-methylpropanoate are the characteristic aroma compounds of grapefruit. Although β-carotene is the primary carotenoid in grapefruit, the pulp color is mainly determined by the ratios of zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin and lycopene. Our results provide the first complete chemical characterization of the taste, aroma and color of grapefruit. PMID:27006221

A simple method for the sequential determination of free acidity and hydrazine in presence of hydrolysable ions is developed and described. In this method, free acid is titrated with standard sodium carbonate solution after the metal ions in solutions are masked with EDTA. Once the end point for the free acid is determined at pH 3.0, an aliquot of formaldehyde is added to liberate the acid equivalent to hydrazine which is then titrated with the same standard sodium carbonate solution using an automatic titration system. The described method is simple, accurate and reproducible. This method is especially applicable to all ranges of nitric acid and heavy metal ion concentration relevant to Purex process used for nuclear fuel reprocessing. The overall recovery of nitric acid is 98.9% with 3% relative standard deviation. The major advantage of the method is that it uses sodium carbonate a primary standard as titrant and generation of corrosive analytical wastes containing oxalate or sulphate is avoided. Valuable metals like uranium and plutonium can easily be recovered from analytical waste before final disposal. (orig.)

Full Text Available Pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb., a typical fruit of the Brazilian Cerrado, is an important source of micronutrients and fatty acids. In this work, a new approach for the acid digestion (using H2SO4, HNO3 and H2O2 of pequi oil samples and the determination of Cu, Fe, Zn and Mn by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (F AAS was employed. Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE was used for free fatty acid (FFA determination after simple and fast extraction with heated ethanol. Good results regarding precision (RSD < 10%, in most cases, sensitivity and adequate LOD and LOQ values were obtained. The accuracy was evaluated using spike tests and the recoveries were from 97 to 107%. The analytes were investigated in four different pequi oil samples. Fe was the trace element with the highest concentration (from 1.99 to 10.3 mg/100 g, followed by Zn, Mn and Cu (1.15 to 3.19, 0.42 to 0.91 and 0.31 to 0.56 mg/100 g, respectively. The main FFA found were oleic acid and palmitic acid (1.61 to 10.7 and 0.82 to 2.69 g/100 g, respectively, while linoleic acid (0.50 g/100 g was detected in only one sample. The pequi oil chemical composition showed good characteristics to be used as a food additive, in cosmetic formulations and for traditional medicine.

Full Text Available In this study, an analytical method involving ion chromatography with conductivity detection was developed and optimized for the determination of monochloroacetic acid in swimming pool water. The ion chromatographic method has a detection limit of 0.02 mg L-1 and linear range of 0.05 to 1.0 mg L-1 with correlation coeff icient of 0.9992. The method is reproducible with percent RSD of 0.052% (n=10. The recovery of monochloroacetic acid spiked in different water types (bottled, tap and swimming pool water ranged from 28 to 122%. In dilute solutions, chloride and bromide were simultaneously analyzed along with monochloroacetic acid using the optimized method. Chloride and bromide have detection limits of 0.01 to 0.05 mg L-1, respectively. The usefulness of the ion chromatographic method was demonstrated in the analysis of monochloroacetic acid in swimming pool water samples. In such highly-chlorinated samples, an Ag/H cartridge was used prior to the ion chromatographic determination so as to minimize the signal due to chloride ion. Monochloroacetic acid was detected in concentrations between 0.020 and 0.093 mg L-1 in three of the six swimming pool water samples studied. The presence of monochloroacetic acid in the swimming pool water samples suggests the possible occurrence of other disinfection by-products in these waters.

A study on the comparison and evaluation of 3 miniaturized extraction methods for the determination of selected PACs in clear waters is presented. Three types of liquid-liquid extraction were used for chromatographic analysis by HPLC with fluorescence detection. The main objective was the optimization and development of simple, rapid and low cost methods, minimizing the use of extracting solvent volume. The work also includes a study on the scope of the methods developed at low and high levels of concentration and intermediate precision. (Author)

A study was made with a group of 19 pre-school children at the central nursery of the University of Sao Paulo with the aim of evaluating the toxic elements contents present in diets of this group. The diet samples were collected by duplicate portion method. A radiochemical was applied to the determination of Cd, Sb, Th, U and W by means of retention of these elements in the chelating resin Chelex 100, in 0,1 M H Ac-NH{sub 4}Ac medium, followed by retention of As in the inorganic exchanger tin dioxide, in HCl 6 M medium. (author)

Recently inorganic materials are investigating as sorbent of radioactive pollutants present in water. The inorganic oxides belong to this group of materials. A quick method exists for the obtaining of inorganic oxides, denominated combustion method that could be used to produce porous oxides successfully with good properties for the sorption of radioactive ions. In this investigation, iron oxides, magnesium and zinc were synthesized obtained by the combustion method, comparing them with those synthesized by the calcination method, using two different synthesis temperatures. The obtained solids were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (Sem), by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and by semiquantitative elemental analysis (EDS). After the characterization, the crystalline oxides synthesized by both methods, to temperature of 800 C, were evaluated as sorbents in the removal of Co{sup 2+} ions, through experiments in batch, and using neutron activation analysis, determining the sorption percentage, with this it was concluded that the magnesium oxide produced by combustion it is more effective in the removal of Co{sup 2+} ions than that synthesized by calcination. It was determined the surface area of the magnesium oxides, obtaining a surface area greater for the synthesized oxide by combustion method. (Author)

A new colorimetric method for determining the surface-accessible acidic lignin hydroxyl groups in lignocellulose solid fractions was developed. The method is based on selective adsorption of Azure B, a basic dye, onto acidic hydroxyl groups of lignin. Selectivity of adsorption of Azure B on lignin was demonstrated using lignin and cellulose materials as adsorbents. Adsorption isotherms of Azure B on wheat straw (WS), sugarcane bagasse (SGB), oat husk, and isolated lignin materials were determined. The maximum adsorption capacities predicted by the Langmuir isotherms were used to calculate the amounts of surface-accessible acidic hydroxyl groups. WS contained 1.7-times more acidic hydroxyls (0.21 mmol/g) and higher surface area of lignin (84 m(2)/g) than SGB or oat husk materials. Equations for determining the amount of surface-accessible acidic hydroxyls in solid fractions of the three plant materials by a single point measurement were developed. A method for high-throughput characterization of lignocellulosic materials is now available. PMID:25033327

It is one of the main causes of extraction emulsification or resin toxicosis during alkali leaching process in uranium metallurgy which organic matters including humic acid exist in lixiviums. In order to study the effect of humic acid in uranium metallurgy, a method for determination of content of humic acid in aqueous solution need to be established. Spectrophotometry is a simple and convenient method in humic acid analysis. However, accuracy of spectrophotometry can be reduced greatly because of interference of uranium and other elements in the humic acid solutions. Although chemical oxygen demand (COD) method is a common analysis way of organic matters in aqueous solutions, the concentration of humic acid cannot be directly measured. In this paper, COD method is related with spectrophotometry to avoid the interference of uranium and ensure the accurate analysis of humic acid. The results showed that the detection limit of the method was 1.78 mg/L and the recovery rate was 101.2%. (authors)

A method for determining evaporation rates and thermodynamic properties of aqueous solution droplets is introduced. The method combines evaporation rate measurements using modified TDMA technique with data evaluation using an accurate evaporation model. The first set of data has been collected and evaluated for succinic acid aqueous solution droplets. Evaporation rates of succinic acid solution droplets have been measured using a TDMA system at controlled relative humidity (65%) and temperature (298 K). A temperature-dependent expression for the saturation vapour pressure of pure liquid phase succinic acid at atmospheric temperatures has been derived by analysing the evaporation rate data with a numerical model. The obtained saturation vapour pressure of liquid phase succinic acid is ln( p) = 118.41 - 16204.8/ T - 12.452ln( T). The vapour pressure is in unit of Pascal and the temperature in Kelvin. A linear expression for the enthalpy of vaporization for liquid state succinic acid is also presented. According to the results presented in the following, a literature expression for the vapour pressure of liquid phase succinic acid defined for temperatures higher than 461 K [Yaws, C.L., 2003. Yaws' Handbook of Thermodynamic and Physical Properties of Chemical Compounds, Knovel] can be extrapolated to atmospheric temperatures with very good accuracy. The results also suggest that at 298 K the mass accommodation coefficient of succinic acid is unity or very close to unity.

Total neutron cross-sections of twenty essential and non-essential amino acids to human were determined using crystal spectrometer installed on the Argonauta reactor of IEN (Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (CNEN-RJ) and compared with data generated by parceling and grouping methodologies developed at this institution. For each amino acid was calculated the respective neutron cross-section by molecular structure, conformation and chemistry analysis. The results obtained for eighteen of twenty amino acids confirm the specifications and product formulations indicated by manufactures. These initial results allow to build a neutron cross-sections database as part of quality control of the amino supplied to hospitals for production of nutriments for parenteral or enteral formulations used in critical patients dependent on artificial feed, and for application in future studies of structure and dynamics for more complex molecules, including proteins, enzymes, fatty acids, membranes, organelles and other cell components. (author)

Palm oil contains about 45% of saturated palmitic acid and 39% of mono-unsaturated oleic acid. Investigations made in the past to trace the fatty acid composition in palm revealed that ripeness of fresh fruit bunch (FFB) affect oil composition. However, there is no evidence that processing operations affect oil composition, although different stage of processing does affect the quality of oil extracted. An improved method for sterilizing the oil palm fruits by dry heating, followed by oil extraction has been studied. This method eliminates the use of water, thus, increasing the extraction of lipid soluble. The objective of this study is to determine the possibility production of palm oil with different fatty acid composition (FAC) as well as the changes in quality from conventional milling. The unripe and ripe FFB were collected, sterilized and extracted using different method of solvent extraction. Preliminary data have shown that variation in FAC will also alter the physical and chemical properties of the oil extracted.

Total neutron cross-sections of twenty essential and non-essential amino acids to human were determined using crystal spectrometer installed on the Argonauta reactor of IEN (Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (CNEN-RJ) and compared with data generated by parceling and grouping methodologies developed at this institution. For each amino acid was calculated the respective neutron cross-section by molecular structure, conformation and chemistry analysis. The results obtained for eighteen of twenty amino acids confirm the specifications and product formulations indicated by manufactures. These initial results allow to build a neutron cross-sections database as part of quality control of the amino supplied to hospitals for production of nutriments for parenteral or enteral formulations used in critical patients dependent on artificial feed, and for application in future studies of structure and dynamics for more complex molecules, including proteins, enzymes, fatty acids, membranes, organelles and other cell components. (author)

A high sensitive flow-injection chemiluminescence (FI-CL)method for the determination of tryptephan has been developed.The method is based on the chemiluminescence reaction of galangin-potassium perrnanganate-tryptophan in polyphosphoric acid (PPA)media.Under the optimized conditions,tryptophan was determined in the range 0.05-10 μg/mL with the detection limit (30)of 5.0× 10-3 μg/mL.The relative standard deviation (RSD)was 1.0% for 11 replicate determinations of 1.0 μg/mL tryptophan.Three synthetic samples were determined selectively with recoveries in the range from 99.6% to 102.0% in the presence of other amino acids.

A simple, rapid and accurate spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of sorbic acid in various food samples based on the oxidation of sorbic acid by iron(III) at 100 degrees C to malonaldehyde, which then reacts with 2-thiobarbituric acid to form a reddish brown product. The optimum experimental conditions for colour development have been assessed. Absorbance measurements were made at 529 nm in the presence of 0.4% m/V citric acid. The calibration graph was linear for 0-6 micrograms ml-1 of sorbic acid with a slope of 0.131 A micrograms-1 ml. The recoveries of sorbic acid at concentrations of 164-557 micrograms ml-1 ranged from 96 to 103%. The relative standard deviations of ten replicate determinations of sorbic acid in a synthetic cream soda sample spiked with 573 micrograms ml-1 of sorbic acid and in an onion juice sample containing 82 micrograms ml-1 of sorbic acid were 1.6 and 1.9%, respectively. Interferences from several common food additives can be minimised by extracting sorbic acid with diethyl ether and then back-extracting the acid with sodium hydrogen carbonate. The method has been applied successfully to the determination of sorbic acid in a wide range of food samples including beverages, cake, cake mate, garlic bread sprinkle, onion juice, oyster flavoured sauce and grenadine syrup. PMID:2712320

A method was developed for assessing ascorbic acid concentration in commercial fruit juice by cyclic voltammetry. The anodic oxidation peak for ascorbic acid occurs at about 490 mV on a Pt disc working electrode (versus SCE). The influence of the potential sweep speed on the peak height was studied. The obtained calibration graph shows a linear dependence between peak height and ascorbic acid concentration in the domain (0.1–10 mmol·L−1). The equation of the calibration graph was y = 6.391x + 0.1903 (where y represents the value of intensity measured for the anodic peak height, expressed as μA and x the analyte concentration, as mmol·L−1, r2 = 0.9995, r.s.d. = 1.14%, n = 10, Cascorbic acid = 2 mmol·L−1). The developed method was applied to ascorbic acid assessment in fruit juice. The ascorbic acid content determined ranged from 0.83 to 1.67 mmol·L−1 for orange juice, from 0.58 to 1.93 mmol·L−1 for lemon juice, and from 0.46 to 1.84 mmol·L−1 for grapefruit juice. Different ascorbic acid concentrations (from standard solutions) were added to the analysed samples, the degree of recovery being comprised between 94.35% and 104%. Ascorbic aciddetermination results obtained by cyclic voltammetry were compared with those obtained by the volumetric method with dichlorophenol indophenol. The results obtained by the two methods were in good agreement. PMID:19343183

In this paper, the novel hydrophilic magnetic molecularly imprinted nanoparticles were developed for selective separation and determination of chlorogenic acid in aqueous fruit juices. The polymers were prepared by using amino-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles as carriers, branched polyethyleneimine as functional monomer, and chlorogenic acid as template molecule. Branched polyethyleneimine with abundant active amino groups could react with template sufficiently, and its unique dendritic structure may amplify the number of the imprinted cavities. Meanwhile, it would improve the hydrophilicity of imprinted materials for attaining high extraction efficiency. The resulted polymers exhibit fast kinetics, high adsorption capacity, and favorable selectivity. In addition, the obtained nanoparticles were used as solid-phase extraction sorbents for selective isolation and determination of chlorogenic acid in peach, apple, and grape juices (0.92, 4.21, and 0.75μgmL(-1), respectively). PMID:26830581

Full Text Available A polypyrrole-multiwalled carbon nanotubes modified glassy carbon electrode-based sensor was devised for determination of ferulic acid (FA. The fabricated sensor was prepared electrochemically using cyclic voltammetry (CV and characterized using CV and scanning electron microscope (SEM. The electrode shows an excellent electrochemical catalytic activity towards FA oxidation. Under optimal conditions, the anodic peak current correlates linearly to the FA concentration throughout the range of 3.32 × 10−6 to 2.59 × 10−5 M with a detection limit of 1.17 × 10−6 M (S/N = 3. The prepared sensor is highly selective towards ferulic acid without the interference of ascorbic acid. The sensor applicability was tested for total content determination of FA in a commercial popcorn sample and showed a robust functionality.

Full Text Available Total acidity was determined in thirty-seven samples of Croatian red, white and rosé wines by potentiometric titration. In order to find the effect of the corresponding rate of the automatic titrant added, several procedures were employed. For different rates of titration, the aberrances were found from 0.1 to 0.4 g L–1 for some wines. The value of the total acid content in wine determined by the automatic potentiometric titration method was compared to that obtained by the conventional volumetric titration method. The ANOVA and cluster analysis (CA were applied to detect possible resemblance. The results of total acidity depended on the methods used. However, a good correlation between the results by these methods was found.

A new and sensitive spectrophotometric method is described for the determination of p-benzoquinone, p-chloranil and 1.4-naphthoquinone. The method is based on the reaction between quinones and barbituric acid, by which a color is developed with maximum absorption between 485 and 555 nm in 50% methyl alcohol-water mixture. The absorption of the product obeys Beer's law within the concentration range 0.025-05 mM of orginal quinone. The kinetics of the reaction between p-benzoquinone and barbituric acid was studied in a range of methyl alcohol-water mixtures. The reaction follows overall second order kinetics, first order in each of the reactants. The rate increases with increasing dielectric constant. The method was applied for determination of barbituric acid with p-benzoquinone in the concentration range of 0.025-0.345 mM. Other barbiturates do not interfere.

In recent years, modern electroanalytical techniques, especially cyclic voltammetry, are becoming increasingly important in the determination of pharmaceutical products. This study presents a novel method for the determination of nalidixic acid (NA) in flow-injection systems, called fast stripping continuous cyclic voltammetry. This technique is simple, precise, accurate and time saving compared to similar methods. Initially, the effects of several method parameters on sensitiv...

In this research smoking and canning techniques were applied to cultured mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis, L.) from the Çanakkkale Strait in Eceabat, Turkey. Mussels that were smoked by liquid and traditional methods were canned in different sauces. The chemical composition and amino acid composition of the canned smoked mussels were determined by the results of laboratory analyses. As a result of smoking and canning mussels, a food with high nutritional value was obtained. It was determine...

A new method for the indirect determination of salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) was proposed. The method is based on precipitating the ion associate complex of SHAM with [Cu (NH3)4]2+. The excess, unreacted, Cu2+ ions were determined using AAS. Another spectrophotometric method based on measuring the absorbance of the formed [Cu (NH3)4]-SHAM complex in dioxane was proposed. The green color of the complex formed was measured at 330 nm. The two...

A method using (1)H NMR spectroscopy has been developed to quantify simultaneously thirteen analytes in honeys without previous separation or pre-concentration steps. The method has been successfully applied to determine carboxylic acids (acetic, formic, lactic, malic and succinic acids), amino acids (alanine, phenylalanine, proline and tyrosine), carbohydrates (α- and β-glucose and fructose), ethanol and hydroxymethylfurfural in eucalyptus, heather, lavender, orange blossom, thyme and rosemary honeys. Quantification was performed by using the area of the signal of each analyte in the honey spectra, together with external standards. The regression analysis of the signal area against concentration plots, used for the calibration of each analyte, indicates a good linearity over the concentration ranges found in honeys, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.985 for the thirteen quantified analytes. The recovery studies give values over the 93.7-105.4% range with relative standard deviations lower than 7.4%. Good precision, with relative standard deviations over the range of 0.78-5.21% is obtained. PMID:26593586

Full Text Available Purpose: Fruit juice is a nutrient rich food product with a direct connection to public health. The purpose of this research was to determine the amino acid profile of juices and provide a quick and accurate indicator for determining their authenticity. Methods: The method of analysis was HPLC with fluorescence detector and pre-column derivatization by orthophtaldialdehyde (OPA. Sixty-six samples of fruit juices were analyzed, and fourteen amino acids were identified and determined in the sampled fruit juices. The fruit samples used for this analysis were apples, oranges, cherry, pineapple, mango, apricot, pomegranate, peach and grapes. Results: The results showed that 32% of samples tested in this study had a lower concentrate percentage as compared to that of their labels and/or other possible authenticity problems in the manufacturing process. The following samples showed probable adulteration: four cherry juice samples, two pomegranate juice samples, one mango, three grape, four peach, seven orange, two apple and one apricot juice samples. Conclusion: In general, determining the amount of amino acids and comparing sample amino acids profiles standard values seems to be an indicator for quality control. This method can the regulatory agencies with a tool, to help produce a healthier The aim of this study is the analytical control of the fruit juice composition is becoming an important issue, and HPLC can provide an important and essential tool for more accurate research as well as for routine analysis.

Matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) was used for sample preparation of plant material (Melissa officinalis, Lemon Balm) prior to liquid chromatography of rosmarinic, caffeic and protocatechuic acids, phenolic compounds present in this herb. Different MSPD sorbents and various elution agents were tested and the optimal extraction conditions determined with the aim to obtain extraction recoveries greater than 90% for all analytes. PMID:12568390

Here we present a method for simultaneous determination of the fungal metabolites mycophenolic acid, ochratoxin A (OTA) and fumonisin B-2 (FB2) in meat products. Extraction was performed with water-acetonitrile, followed by acetone-induced precipitation of salts and proteins. Purification and...

Nitrous acid is inevitably present in Purex process,thus,it is desired to build a HNO2 distribution model which could be incorporated into Purex computer simulation code.In this work base titration and diazotization-coupling reaction was used to determine the concentration of HNO3 and HNO2 in both

Describes an alternative technique for determining the molar volume of hydrogen from the metal-acid reaction in which the metal sample is encased in a specially prepared cage and a pipette filler is used to fill an inverted burette with water. Eliminates some difficulties encountered with the conventional technique. (JRH)

Full Text Available Acrobic acid is key substance in the human metabolism and the rapid and accurate determination in food is of a great interest. Ascorbic acid is an electroactive compound, however poorly responded on the bare carbon paste electrodes. In this paper, brilliant cresyl blue and multi-walled carbon nanotubes were used for the modification of carbon paste electrode. Brilliant cresyl blue acts as a mediator improving the transition of electrons, whereas multiwalled carbon nanotubes increased the surface of the electrode. Both brilliant cresyl blue and multiwalled carbon nanotubes were added directly to the composite material. The electrochemical behavior of modified electode was determined in electrolyte at various pH, and the effect of the scan rate was also performed. It was shown that the electrochemical process on the surface of the modified carbon paste electrode was diffusion-controlled. The resulted modified carbon paste electrode showed a good electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of ascorbic acid at a reduced overpotential of +100 mV descreasing the risk of interferences. A linear response of the ascorbic acid oxidation current measured by the amperometry in the range of 0.1 - 350 µmol.L-1 was obtained applying the sensor for the standard solution. The limit of detection and limit of quantification was found to be 0.05 and 0.15 µmol.L-1, respectively. The novel method was applied for the determination of ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical vitamin preparation and fruit juice, and the results were in good agreement with the standard HPLC method. The presented modification of carbon paste electrode is suitable for the fast, sensitive and very accurate determination of ascorbic acid in fruit juices and pharmaceutical preparation.

This European standard describes a titration method for the determination of the acid index of slightly colored fatty acids methylic esters (FAME). This method allows the determination of the acid index over a concentration range comprised between 0.10 mg of KOH/g and 1 mg of KOH/g. (J.S.)

The key objective of this work is the crystallographic characterization of the zircon co-doped with Yttria and magnesium with the application of the Rietveld method for quantitative phase analysis of zircon polymorph (zircon monoclinic, tetragonal, and cubic). Samples of zircon polymorph were obtained from zircon doped with Yttria and magnesium at defined molar concentrations. The zircon polymorph stability during subeutetoid aging at 1350 deg C were investigated to determine ZrO{sub 2} - MgO - Y{sub 2}0{sub 3} phases degradation and to define the solid solutions stability environment. ZrO{sub 2} powders doped with 8 mol por cent of MgO and 1 mol por cent of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and 9 mol por cent of MgO and 0 mol por cent of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} have been prepared by chemical route using the co-precipitation method. These samples have been calcinate at 550 deg C, sintered at 1500 deg C and characterized by the Rietveld method using the X-ray diffraction data. The variation of the lattice parameter, changes in the phase composition and their microstructures are discussed. The application of the Rietveld method for quantitative phase analysis of zircon polymorph (zircon tetragonal and cubic) reveals no formation of tetragonal phase and indicating that the matrix is the cubic phase with low concentration of monoclinic phase.(author)

Whit the objective of to complete the existent techniques for susceptibility evaluation to phenomenon of stress corrosion cracking in laboratories of Applied Sciences Area of National Institute of Nuclear Research; was realized and documented the modification of a high pressure and temperature equipment, identified as MEX-03 to carry out the implementation of a growth and crack propagation assay, using a constant load method. The assay was realized to a specimen of stainless steel AISI 304l type CT of an inch, which was previously thermally sensitize, simulating the typical degradation of this materials type below operation conditions in a BWR. The MEX-03 system, consist from an annexed auto key to a load system which originally was controlled by displacement; therefore were carried out modifications to achieve the control by load. The realized adjustments allowed to maintain a constant load during all the experiment, and as much the temperature conditions (T = 288 C) as of pressure (P = 8 Mpa) were controlled during the assay realization. The steel was exposed to a conditioned ambient with hydrogen gas addition; simulating a well-known alternative chemistry as hydrogen water chemistry that is used to mitigate the phenomenon of stress corrosion cracking, main degradation mechanism of austenitic stainless steels. The continuation of the crack behavior was realized by means of electric potential fall technique and later was validated of visual form through the fractographic analysis of cracked surface. The modification and control of equipment for realization of this experiment is necessary, for what should be carried out new assays, whose results will allow to establish the effect of dynamic and static methods in velocity determination of crack growth to laboratory level; to be considered in the existent models of crack propagation in systems and components in operation. (Author)

Hyaluronic acid (HA is part of the connective tissue. The polymer is composed of alternating units of ÃŸ-d-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl-ÃŸ-d-glucosamine linked, respectively, via 1-3 and 1-4 bonds. The chicken crest is one of the richest tissues in this polysaccharide. Since Brazil is one of the main chicken exporters in the world, the utilization of the crests of abated animals for the HA obtaining is particularly attractive. The present work sought to extract HA from chicken crest and to determine the molar mass of the extracted acid. Extraction was accomplished by proteolytic digestion with papain during 24 h at 60oC, followed by precipitation with cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC. Hexuronic acid content was determined via the carbazole method, the intrinsic viscosity was measured using the ball viscosimeter, and the molar mass was calculated by extrapolating the calibration line to zero. In addition, qualitative infrared spectroscopy was carried out on the sample using the Bomem MB spectrophotometer. The results show that the extraction method was effective: the extracted acid possesses a large molecular mass, and the extract contains a signifi cant amount of HA.

A high performance liquid chromatographic method (HPLC) and sample pretreatment method were developed for the simultaneous determination of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) and D-panthenol (provitamin B5) in cosmetics with different matrices (including of creams, lotions, aqueous cosmetics, oily cosmetics, wax-based cosmetics, nail polish etc). A liquid-liquid extraction system composed of water and water-immiscible solvent was used to preliminarily separate the target components from other oil-soluble components and surfactants in cosmetics, then macromolecular water-soluble matrices in cosmetics were removed by coprecipitation with potassium ferrocyanide-zinc acetate precipitating agent, and then under acid condition, pantothenic acid and D-panthenol were enriched on a C18 solid-phase extraction sorbent. After the removal of other water-soluble impurities, target components were eluted by 40% methanol and then separated and quantitatively analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography with external standard method. Good linear relationship was achieved in the concentration range of 0.1-10 microg/g for pantothenic acid and D-panthenol. The linear correlation coefficients were separately 0.998 9 and 0.999 6. The average recoveries of the target components in cosmetics were more than 90%. Limit of detection of the method was 30 microg/g and the limit of quantification was 100 microg/g. This method can be used to simultaneously determine pantothenic acid and D-panthenol in cosmetics. The results are accurate and reliable. PMID:21381423

Highlights: • The solubility of cefuroxime acid in different solvents was experimentally determined. • The experimental solubility data were correlated by three models. • The AIC was used to select the best solubility model. • The thermodynamic properties of cefuroxime acid in solution were obtained. - Abstract: The solubility of cefuroxime acid in (acetonitrile + water) mixtures was experimentally determined at temperatures from (278.15 to 313.15) K by using a dynamic method at atmospheric pressure. The solubility increased with the increasing of temperature, and it reached the maximum at acetonitrile molar fraction of 0.713 at constant temperature. The experimental solubility data were correlated well by using the modified Apelblat equation, the λh equation and the van’t Hoff equation, respectively. The Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC) was used to select the best model for correlating the solubility of cefuroxime acid. Furthermore, the dissolution enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy change of cefuroxime acid were also calculated by using the van’t Hoff equation

Full Text Available Cimicifuga racemosa, is a plant with a diverse and long history of medicinal use. Caffeic acid, bioactive compound, which often occurs with other polyphenols can influence the biological activity of this plant. The aim of our work was quantitative analysis of caffeic acid in roots and rhizomes of two varieties of C. racemosa. Analysis was performed by HPLC method. The extracts were separated on C18 reversed-phase column using mixture of methanol, water and formic acid (25:75:0.5 v/v/v as a mobile phase. The flow rate of eluent was 1.0 ml·min-1. The obtained validation parameters such as linearity, linear regression equation and precision expressed as a relative standard deviation were adequate for quantitative determination. Caffeic acid was found in all tested extracts. The highest total amount of caffeic acid was determined in C. racemosa var. racemosa (255.3 μg·g-1 while its concentration in C. racemosa var. cordifolia was significantly lower (213.0 μg·g-1.

Direct measurement of the absolved dose to lung tissue from inhalation of radon and its progeny is not possible and must be calculated using dosimetric models, taking into consideration the several parameters upon which the dose calculation depends. To asses the dose due to inhalation of radon and its progeny, it is necessary to estimate the cumulative exposure. Historically, this has been done using WLM values estimated with measurements of radon concentration in air. The radon concentration in air varies significantly, however, in space with time, and the exposed individual is also constantly moving around. This makes it almost impossible to obtain a precise estimate of an individual's inhalation exposure. This work describes a pilot study to calculate lung dose from the deposition of radon progeny, via estimates of cumulative exposure derived from in vivo measurements of {sup 210} Pb, in subjects exposed to above-average radon and its progeny concentrations in their home environments. The measurements were performed in a whole body counter. With this technique, the exposed individuals become, in affect, their own samplers and dosimeters and the estimate of cumulative exposure is not affected by the variation of the atmospheric concentration of radon and its progeny in time and space. Forty individuals identified as living in homes with radon levels ranging from about 740 Bq/m{sup 3} to 150.000 Bq/m{sup 3} were measured. Also, additional 34 measurements were made on personnel from NYUMC/NIEM who live in a residential area surrounding the laboratory in which the levels of radon have been shown to be at below average values. To realize these measurements a methodology was developed to determine the subject's background, using a head phantom made with a cubic plastic container containing known amounts of potassium and calcium dissolved in four liters of water. The effective doses calculated from the in vivo measurements are compared to effective doses

Full Text Available Aim To develop a method for determination of total triterpenoid acids in different part and extracts of Ganoderma lucidum. Method The samples of Ganoderma lucidum were extracted with ethanol and successively extracted with CHCl3 and 5% NaHCO3,the NaHCO3 layer was acidified to pH 3 with 2 mol/L HCl,the resulting precipitates were dissolved in CHCl3 and evaporated in vacuo then weighed. The total triterpenoid acids were obtained. Result The total triterpenoid acids of Ganoderma lucidum fruitbody,spore and mycelium were (8.58±0.25 mg/g,(3.48±0.03 mg/g and (1.75 ±0.09 mg/g respectively. The total triterpenoid acids of pileus and stipe were (12.62±0.22 mg/g and (7.66±0.08 mg/g. The range of total triterpenoid acid content among 10 batches of Ganoderma lucidum fruitbody purchased from the market was between 4.34 to 16.39 mg/g. The highest content fro/8/8/88/ m Ganoderma lucidum fruiting body with alcohol - water extracting was (208.70±5.54 mg/g and the lowest content with alkaline solution extracting was (123.07±4.99 mg/g. The composition of total triterpenoid acid from fruitbody,spores and extract of fruitbody analyzed by HPLC were almost the same. This method is reliable for determination of total triterpenoid acid in the fruiting body and its extracts,spore and mycelium from Ganoderma lucidum,which provides an indicator for the quality of Ganoderma lucidum product.

Full Text Available A simple micellar liquid chromatography (MLC method was developed and validated according to ICH Guidelines for the determination of sesquiterpenic acids (valerenic, hydroxyvalerenic, and acetoxyvalerenic acids in root and rhizome extract from Valeriana officinalis L. and valerian dry hydroalcoholic extract. Samples were analyzed on Nucleosil C18 column (150mm×4.6mm, 5 μm using an isocratic mobile phase which consisted of Brij 35 (5% (w/v aqueous solution; pH 2.3±0.1 by phosphoric acid and 1-butanol (6% (v/v; UV detection was at 220 nm. Micellar mobile phase using allows to fully separate valerenic acids within 25 minutes. Linearity for hydroxyvalerenic, acetoxyvalerenic, and valerenic acids was 1.9–27.9, 4.2–63.0, and 6.1–91·3 μg.mL−1, and limit of detection was 0.14, 0.037, and 0.09 μg·mL−1, respectively. Intraday and interday precisions were not less than 2% for all investigated compounds. The proposed method was found to be reproducible and convenient for quantitative analysis of sesquiterpenic acids in valerian root and related preparations.

Fatty acids are a valuable tool in ecological studies because of the large number of unique structures synthesized. They provide versatile signatures that are being increasingly employed to delineate the transfer of dietary material through marine and terrestrial food webs. The standard procedure for determining fatty acids generally involves lipid extraction followed by methanolysis to produce methyl esters for analysis by gas chromatography. By directly transmethylating ~50 mg wet samples and adding an internal standard it was possible to greatly simplify the analytical methodology to enable rapid throughput of 20-40 fish tissue fatty acid analyses a day including instrumental analysis. This method was verified against the more traditional lipid methods using albacore tuna and great white shark muscle and liver samples, and it was shown to provide an estimate of sample dry mass, total lipid content, and a condition index. When large fatty acid data sets are generated in this way, multidimensional scaling, analysis of similarities, and similarity of percentages analysis can be used to define trophic connections among samples and to quantify them. These routines were used on albacore and skipjack tuna fatty acid data obtained by direct methylation coupled with literature values for krill. There were clear differences in fatty acid profiles among the species as well as spatial differences among albacore tuna sampled from different locations. PMID:25376156

A very simple and sensitive method for the spectrophotometric determination of boron was developed. Boron was found to react with 2-hydroxy-2-methylbutyric acid in weak acidic aqueous solution at room temperature to form a complex anion which can be extracted into chlorobenzene with malachite green in a single extraction; boron is determined indirectly by measuring the absorbance of malachite green in the extract at 629 nm. The calibration graph is linear over the range (7.50 x 10-7 - 2.00 x 10-5) mol dm-3 boron; the apparent molar absorptivity is 6.50 x 104 dm3 mol-1 cm-1. The method is applied to the determination of micro amounts of boron in natural waters with satisfactory results. (author)

The reactions of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) ions with carminic acid have been investigated. These ions react with carminic acid in neutral medium, forming colored complexes. The dark purple or red wine complexes show a high absorption in the visible region (597 nm U(VI) and 616 nm Th(IV)). Chemical variables that affect the reaction have been optimized. The spectral overlapping of the color of complexes has been resolved by first-derivative spectrophotometry. The simultaneous determination of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) mixtures is accomplished by taking the derivative signal ('zero crossing') at 597 nm for U(VI) determination and at 616 nm for Th(IV) determination, respectively. The method has been applied to Tyuyamonite ore, containing in the matrix both ions. (author) 11 refs.; 3 figs.; 3 tabs

The possibility has been shown of photometric determination of beryllium with sulphochlorophenol S using an acetic acid-propanol mixture (1:1), containing 0.5-1.5 vol% of water, as the reaction medium. Under such conditions, the reaction between beryllium and sulphochlorophenol S is sensitive and selective with respect to some easily hydrolized elements (Sn, Bi, Sb, Hg) as well as to Ga, In, Tl, Zn in the presence of HCl. The following excess amounts do not interfere with the determination of 0.45 μg Be: Hg-1.2x104, Sb-6.2x103, In-2.5x103, Tl-2.0x103, Zn-1.4x103, Ga-1.2x103. The reaction between beryllium and sulphochlorophenol S is selective with respect to a number of complexing agents. Beryllium can be determined in the presence of 150000-200000 times its weight amounts of tartaric, citric and boric acids, 5000-sulphosalycilic acid, 6000-oxalic acid, 6000-dimethyl glyoxime, 150-8-hydroxyquinoline

Full Text Available Objective: To determine the free amino acid contents of chamomile flowers using reverse-phase high-performance column chromatography preceded by pre-column derivatization with 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate (AQC, and to determine the reliability of this method. Materials and Methods: Derivatization with reconstituted AQC was used to prepare the samples and standards for injection into the chromatography column. The peaks were analyzed by fluorescence detection (λ excitation, 250 nm; λ emission, 395 nm. Results: Alanine, proline, and leucine were the most abundant amino acids, whereas tyrosine and methionine were the least abundant. The linearity of the method was found to be good with amino acid concentrations of 0.012-0.36 μM. The precision was 0.05-1.36%; average recovery, 91.12-129.41%; and limit of detection, 0.006-0.058 μM. Conclusion: The method is reliable for determining the free amino acid content of different types of chamomile flowers.

In the fall of 2007 pet food contaminated with melamine and cyanuric acid caused kidney stones in thousands of animals. In the summer of 2008, a more serious outbreak of adulterated dairy food caused the deaths of six infants and sickened about 290,000 children in China. In all cases, melamine was likely added to inflate the apparent protein content of the foods. To determine if we could measure protein without interference from melamine and cyanuric acid we tested these compounds in the Brad...

Rapid analytical method for the simultaneous separation and determination of amines and organic acids is a vital interest for quality control of citrus and their products. In the present study, a simultaneous high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the rapid separation of three amines and two organic acids was developed. Chromatographic separation of compounds was achieved using Xbridge C(18) column at ambient temperature, with an isocratic mobile phase of 3mM phosphoric acid at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min(-1). A photodiode array (PDA) detector was used to monitor the eluent at 223 nm and 254 nm with a total analysis time of 10 min. Extraction of amines and organic acids from citrus juice was optimized. The method was validated by tests of linearity, recovery, precision and ruggedness. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for amines and ascorbic acid were determined to be 5 ng and 9.8 ng, respectively. All calibration curves showed good linearity (R(2) ≥ 0.9999) within the test ranges. The recoveries of the amines and organic acids ranged between 84% and 117%. The identity of each peak was confirmed by mass spectral (MS) analysis. The developed method was successfully applied to analyze the content of amines and organic acids in six different species and two varieties of citrus. Results indicate that mandarin and Marrs sweet orange contain high level of amines, while pummelo and Rio Red grapefruit had high content of ascorbic acid (137-251 μg mL(-1)) and citric acid (5-22 mg mL(-1)). Synephrine was the major amine present in Clementine (114 μg mL(-1)) and Marrs sweet orange (85 μg mL(-1)). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on simultaneous separation and quantification of amines and organic acids in Marrs sweet orange, Meyer lemon, Nova tangerine, Clementine, Ugli tangelo and Wekiwa tangelo. PMID:21147342

In this paper, we have fabricated a modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) by electropolymerisation of spands reagent (SR) onto surface of CPE using cyclic voltammetry (CV). The developed electrode was abbreviated as poly(SR)/CPE and the surface morphology of the modified electrode was studied by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The developed electrode showed higher electrocatalytic properties towards the detection of dopamine (DA) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (PBS) at pH 7.0. The effect of pH, scan rate, accumulation time and concentration of dopamine was studied at poly(SR)/CPE. The poly(SR)/CPE was successfully used as a sensor for the selective determination of DA in presence of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA) without any interference. The poly(SR)/CPE showed a good detection limit of 0.7 μM over the linear dynamic range of 1.6 μM to 16 μM, which is extremely lower than the reported methods. The prepared poly(SR)/CPE exhibited good stability, high sensitivity, better reproducibility, low detection limit towards the determination of DA. The developed method was also applied for the determination of DA in real samples. - Highlights: • Electropolymerization of spands reagent was fabricated by cyclic voltammetry • The Poly (spands reagent) electrode shows excellent electrocatalytic activity for the detection of dopamine. • The detection limit for dopamine was found to be 0.7 μM. • The proposed method can be applied for DA in injection and human blood serum samples

In this paper, we have fabricated a modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) by electropolymerisation of spands reagent (SR) onto surface of CPE using cyclic voltammetry (CV). The developed electrode was abbreviated as poly(SR)/CPE and the surface morphology of the modified electrode was studied by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The developed electrode showed higher electrocatalytic properties towards the detection of dopamine (DA) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (PBS) at pH 7.0. The effect of pH, scan rate, accumulation time and concentration of dopamine was studied at poly(SR)/CPE. The poly(SR)/CPE was successfully used as a sensor for the selective determination of DA in presence of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA) without any interference. The poly(SR)/CPE showed a good detection limit of 0.7 μM over the linear dynamic range of 1.6 μM to 16 μM, which is extremely lower than the reported methods. The prepared poly(SR)/CPE exhibited good stability, high sensitivity, better reproducibility, low detection limit towards the determination of DA. The developed method was also applied for the determination of DA in real samples. - Highlights: • Electropolymerization of spands reagent was fabricated by cyclic voltammetry • The Poly (spands reagent) electrode shows excellent electrocatalytic activity for the detection of dopamine. • The detection limit for dopamine was found to be 0.7 μM. • The proposed method can be applied for DA in injection and human blood serum samples.

A simple, fast, precise and eco-friendly analytical method for the determination of uric acid (UA) in human urine by ion chromatography (IC) was established. The sample pretreatment was not required, only needed centrifugation and filtration. The separation was carried out on a cation exchange column with 2.0 mmol/L nitric acid as mobile phase at the flow-rate 1.0 mL/min. A non-suppressed conductivity detector was used. The IC analysis time for one run was within 10 min under the optimized IC condition. The detection limits were 0.5 μg/L(S/N = 3) for uric acid. The recovery was 100.1 % while the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 1.8% from 10 measurements.

The quantification of long-chain fatty acids is fundamental for the diagnosis of several peroxisome disorders, particularly those in which the β-oxidation peroxisome of fatty acids is affected. In this work the implementation of an analytical method for the determination of these markers in serum by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry is described. Besides, samples from patients with a diagnostic impression of adrenoleukodystrophy linked to the X chromosome were analyzed. The necessary experimental conditions were achieved for the separation and quantification of C22:0, C24:0 and C26:0 fatty acids in serum, which are biochemical markers of various peroxisome diseases. The application of this method allowed confirming the diagnosis of three patients with a diagnostic impression of adrenoleukodystrophy linked to the X chromosome. The application of the method in daily practice will allow the Cuban medical system to count on a new laboratory parameter for the diagnosis of peroxisome disorders

Full Text Available An exfoliated graphite-polystyrene composite electrode was evaluated as analternative electrode in the oxidation and the determination of oxalic acid in 0.1 M Na2SO4supporting electrolyte. Using CV, LSV, CA procedures, linear dependences I vs. C wereobtained in the concentrations range of oxalic acid between 0.5 to 3 mM, with LOD =0.05mM, and recovery degree of 98%, without need of surface renewing between successiveruns. The accuracy of the methods was evaluated as excellent comparing the detection resultswith that obtained using conventional KMnO4 titration method. In addition, the apparentdiffusion coefficient of oxalic acid D was found to be around 2.89 Ã‚Â· 10-8 cm2Ã‚Â·s-1 by CA andCV.

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is used with electrospray-mass spectrometry (ES-MS) to analyze a mixture of succinic, maleic, malonic, and glutaric acids as the negative parent ions ([M-H]-). The CE is coupled with the ES-MS via a make-up sheath flow. The CE mobile phase consists of an aqueous solution of naphthalene disulfonate (NDS), pyromellitic acid, and methanol, with diethylene triamine (DETA) as an electroosmotic flow modifier. Compromise experimental parameters for the CE separation and ES-MS detection are evaluated. Detection limits for CE-ES-MS determination of the sample are 1-10 ppm or 60-600 pg. The carboxylic acid sample is injected directly into the CE column with little or no preparation. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

The stability constants of Co(II) complexes with weathered coal fulvic acid are determined by both Schubert method and Stevenson method at pH = 5.3 +- 0.2, I = 0.001-1.0 mol/kg and (30 +- 1) degree C. The modified Schubert method is also used to estimate the stability constants of Co(II) complexes with the fulvic acid. It is shown that the trend of forming poly nuclei complexes of Co(II)-fulvic acid increases with increasing ionic strength in the solution and that 1:1 and 2:1 type complexes, respectively, are formed at different ionic strength. A comparison between the values of lg β obtained by different methods is made

In this study 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (HMF), 2-furaldehyde, 3-furaldehyde, 2-furoic acid and 3-furoic acid are contemporarily determined in honey using a swift and direct RP-HPLC approach. The validation protocol was performed in terms of detection and quantification limits, precision (by repeatability and reproducibility), linearity and accuracy (by recovery tests); the acceptability of the precision and accuracy results was positively verified using Horwitz's model and AOAC guidelines, respectively. The method was tested on 18 honey samples of different ages, and botanical and geographical origin. HMF and 2-furaldehyde correlated highly with the age of the samples, whereas no correlation was observed with regards to 2-furaldehyde and 2-furoic acid. Hypotheses relating to the formation of minority furanic compounds are also proposed. PMID:19174244

Mandelic acids are prototypic chiral molecules where the sensitivity of crystallized forms (enantiopure/racemic compound/polymorphs) to both conditions and substituents provides a new insight into the factors that may allow chiral separation by crystallization. The determination of a significant number of single crystal structures allows the analysis of 13 enantiopure and 30 racemic crystal structures of 21 (F/Cl/Br/CH3/CH3O) substituted mandelic acid derivatives. There are some common phenyl packing motifs between some groups of racemic and enantiopure structures, although they show very different hydrogen-bonding motifs. The computed crystal energy landscape of 3-chloromandelic acid, which has at least two enantiopure and three racemic crystal polymorphs, reveals that there are many more possible structures, some of which are predicted to be thermodynamically more favorable as well as slightly denser than the known forms. Simulations of mandelic acid dimers in isolation, water, and toluene do not differentiate between racemic and enantiopure dimers and also suggest that the phenyl ring interactions play a major role in the crystallization mechanism. The observed crystallization behavior of mandelic acids does not correspond to any simple "crystal engineering rules" as there is a range of thermodynamically feasible structures with no distinction between the enantiopure and racemic forms. Nucleation and crystallization appear to be determined by the kinetics of crystal growth with a statistical bias, but the diversity of the mandelic acid crystallization behavior demonstrates that the factors that influence the kinetics of crystal nucleation and growth are not yet adequately understood. PMID:26244445

Using starch as the carbon precursor and different-sized ZnO naoparticles as the hard template, a series of porous carbon materials for electrochemical sensing were prepared. Experiments of scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms reveal that the particle size of ZnO has big impacts on the porous morphology and surface area of the resulting carbon materials. Through ultrasonic dispersion of porous carbon and subsequent solvent evaporation, different sensing interfaces were constructed on the surface of glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The electrochemical behaviors of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) were studied. On the surface of porous carbon materials, the accumulation efficiency and electron transfer ability of AA, DA and UA are improved, and consequently their oxidation signals enhance greatly. Moreover, the interface enhancement effects of porous carbon are also controlled by the particle size of hard template. The constructed porous carbon interface displays strong signal amplification ability and holds great promise in constructing a sensitive platform for the simultaneous determination of AA, DA and UA.

A fast, sensitive and simple non-chromatographic analytical method was developed for the speciation analysis of toxic arsenic species in cereal samples, namely rice and wheat semolina. An ultrasound-assisted extraction of the toxic arsenic species was performed with 1 mol L - 1 H 3PO 4 and 0.1% (m/v) Triton XT-114. After extraction, As(III), As(V), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) concentrations were determined by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry using a series of proportional equations corresponding to four different experimental reduction conditions. The detection limits of the method were 1.3, 0.9, 1.5 and 0.6 ng g - 1 for As(III), As(V), DMA and MMA, respectively, expressed in terms of sample dry weight. Recoveries were always greater than 90%, and no species interconversion occurred. The speciation analysis of a rice flour reference material certified for total arsenic led to coherent results, which were also in agreement with other speciation studies made on the same certified reference material.

The use of phase sensitive alternating current polarography (ACP) for the evaluation of complex formation constants of systems where electrodic adsorption is present has been proposed. The applicability of the technique implies the previous selection of the phase angle where contribution of capacitive current is minimized. This is made using Multivariate Curve Resolution by Alternating Least Squares (MCR-ALS) in the analysis of ACP measurements at different phase angles. The method is checked by the study of the complexation of Cd by polymethacrylic (PMA) and polygalacturonic (PGA) acids, and the optimal phase angles have been ca. -10 degrees for Cd-PMA and ca. -15 degrees for Cd-PGA systems. The goodness of phase sensitive ACP has been demonstrated comparing the determined complex formation constants with those obtained by reverse pulse polarography, a technique that minimizes the electrode adsorption effects on the measured currents. PMID:19073101

A chromatographic analytical method for the direct determination of amino acids by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) was developed. A dual gradient simultaneously varying the pH 3.2 ammonium formate buffer concentration and level of acetonitrile (ACN) in the mobile phase was employed. Using a charged aerosol detector (CAD) and a 2(nd) order regression analysis, the fit of the calibration curve showed R(2) values between 0.9997 and 0.9985 from 1.5mg/mL to 50μg/mL (600ng to 20ng on column). Analyte chromatographic parameters such as the sensitivity of retention to the water fraction in the mobile phase values (mHILIC) were determined as part of method development. A degradation product of glutamine (5-pyrrolidone-2-carboxylic acid; pGlu) was observed and resolved chromatographically with no method modifications. The separation was used to quantitate amino acid content in acid hydrolysates of various protein samples. PMID:27059400

Until recently, liquid chromatographic (LC) methodology for pantothenic acid, biotin, and B12 (cyanocobalamin) has been only marginally successful. These vitamins are difficult to determine by conventional LC techniques and UV detection at 254 or 280 nm, because either the chromophore is inadequate for detection or interference from co-eluting vitamins is overwhelming. Biotin and B12 are usually present in pharmaceutical products at concentrations 100-1000 times lower than other commonly occurring water-soluble vitamins. Co-extraction of all water-soluble vitamins results in gross interferences, especially in LC when the interfering vitamins co-elute with biotin or B12. In addition, pantothenic acid and biotin are colorless in solution and do not exhibit strong UV absorption above 240 nm. As a result, they must be quantitated either by using a low UV wavelength for detection or by derivatizing the vitamin to obtain an adequate chromophore. A description of procedures for LC determination of pantothenic acid, panthenol, cyanocobalamin, and biotin in pharmaceutical products is presented. Pantothenic acid has been measured by using both a derivatization technique and low UV wavelength detection. Biotin has been quantitated by using low UV wavelength detection. The limitations of these techniques are also discussed. Chromatographic separation of cyanocobalamin is complicated by co-eluting vitamins such as riboflavin. It is detected by using the 546 nm wavelength where riboflavin does not interfere. PMID:6501166

The free acid content of solutions containing hydrolyzable ions has been determined potentiometrically by a standard addition method. Two increments of acid are added to the sample in 1M potassium thiocyanate solution. The sample concentration is calculated by solution of three simultaneous Nernst equations. The method has been demonstrated for solutions containing Al3+, Cr3+, Fe3+, Hg2+, Ni2+, Th4+, or UO22+ with a metal-to-acid ratio of < 2.5. The method is suitable for determination of 10 μmoles acid in 10 mL total volume. The accuracy can be judged from the agreement of the Nernst slopes found in the presence and absence of hydrolyzable ions. The relative standard deviation is < 2.5%. The report includes a survey of experiments with thermometric, pH, and Gran plot titrations in a variety of complexants, from which the method was evolved. Also included is a literature survey of sixty references, a discussion of the basic measurements, and a complete analytical procedure

Sage (Salvia officinalis) contains high amounts of the biologically active rosmarinic acid (RA) and other polyphenolic compounds. RA is easily oxidized, and may undergo degradation during sample preparation for analysis. The objective of this work was to develop and validate an analytical procedure for determination of RA in sage, using factorial design of experiments for optimizing sample preparation. The statistically significant variables for improving RA extraction yield were determined initially and then used in the optimization step, using central composite design (CCD). The analytical method was then fully validated, and used for the analysis of commercial samples of sage. The optimized procedure involved extraction with aqueous methanol (40%) containing an antioxidant mixture (ascorbic acid and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)), with sonication at 45 deg C for 20 min. The samples were then injected in a system containing a C{sub 18} column, using methanol (A) and 0.1% phosphoric acid in water (B) in step gradient mode (45A:55B, 0-5 min; 80A:20B, 5-10 min) with flow rate of 1.0 mL min-1 and detection at 330 nm. Using this conditions, RA concentrations were 50% higher when compared to extractions without antioxidants (98.94 {+-} 1.07% recovery). Auto-oxidation of RA during sample extraction was prevented by the use of antioxidants resulting in more reliable analytical results. The method was then used for the analysis of commercial samples of sage. (author)

The free acid content of solutions containing hydrolyzable ions has been determined potentiometrically by a standard addition method. Two increments of acid are added to the sample in 1M potassium thiocyanate solution. The sample concentration is calculated by solution of three simultaneous Nernst equations. The method has been demonstrated for solutions containing Al/sup 3 +/, Cr/sup 3 +/, Fe/sup 3 +/, Hg/sup 2 +/, Ni/sup 2 +/, Th/sup 4 +/, or UO/sub 2//sup 2 +/ with a metal-to-acid ratio of < 2.5. The method is suitable for determination of 10 ..mu..moles acid in 10 mL total volume. The accuracy can be judged from the agreement of the Nernst slopes found in the presence and absence of hydrolyzable ions. The relative standard deviation is < 2.5%. The report includes a survey of experiments with thermometric, pH, and Gran plot titrations in a variety of complexants, from which the method was evolved. Also included is a literature survey of sixty references, a discussion of the basic measurements, and a complete analytical procedure.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has become a very attractive and popular chemical analysis technique in material science for its advantage of rapid analysis, non-contact measurement, micro surface analysis and online analysis. In this paper, LIBS were used to determine insoluble aluminum content by analyzing the scanning data on massive steel samples. Abnormal data were discarded by Nalimov criterion, and the remaining data was used to calculate the average and the standard deviation. The threshold to distinguish acid-insoluble aluminum and soluble aluminum was identified as the average value plus triple standard deviation. Two different mathematical models were proposed to calculate insoluble aluminum content, respectively according to the ratio of the total acid-insoluble aluminium signal strength to total aluminum signal strength and acid-insoluble signal number to total aluminum signal number. The total aluminum content was determined by the calibration curve. Insoluble aluminum content of certified reference materials and plate blank samples obtained by mathematical model is coincident to chemical wet method results. The result according to total acid-insoluble aluminium signal strength is much better. LIBS can be used as a rapid analysis method to characterize insoluble aluminum content in steel samples. PMID:26117896

Determination of low molecular weight organic acids in soils and plants by capillary zone electrophoresis was accomplished using a phthalate buffer and indirect UV detection mode. The influence of some crucial parameters, such as pH, buffer concentration and surfactant were investigated. A good separation of seven organic acids was achieved within 5 min using an electrolyte containing 15 mmol L(-1) potassium hydrogen phthalate, 0.5 mmol L(-1) myristyltrimethylammonium bromide (MTAB), and 5% methanol (MeOH) (v/v) at pH 5.60, separation voltage -20 kV, and temperature 25 degrees C. The relative standard deviation (n=5) of the method was found to be in range 0.18-0.56% for migration time and 3.2-4.8% for peak area. The limit of detection ranged between 0.5 micro mol L(-1) to 6 micro mol L(-1) at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The recovery of standard organic acids added to real samples ranged from 87 to 119%. This method was simple, rapid and reproducible, and could be applied to the simultaneous determination of organic acids in environmental samples. PMID:12664177

The total content ot the nch amino acids in two common red algae, Potystpnoma urceolata and Polysiphonia japonica growing in the Qingdao seashore were determined. The algae powder was hydrolyzed by 6 mol/L HC1 at 110℃ for 48 h and determined by amino acid analyzer. The content was 25.35% and 24.16% , respectively, much higher than that of some other species. In addition, a nutritive liquid with abundant amino acids was prepared (by the enzymatic hydrolysis method using Polysiphonia urceolata ) as raw material for a kind of health beverage. The dried seaweed was decolored by 0.25% KMnO4 and 0.5% active carbon, then enzymalized. In the selection of enzymalizing condition, the orthogonal experimental design was used. Four factors including kinds of enzyme, quantity of enzyme, temperature and time were studied at 3 levels. According to the orthogonal design results, we can choose an optimal condition: hydrolyzing at 45℃ by neutral proteinase (0.25% , w/w) for 2 h, adjusting pH to 8.5, then adding trypsin (0.25% , w/w) and hydrolyzing for 2 h. Finally the above solution was alkalized by NaOH and neutralized by casein. After the hydrolyzed liquid was filtered and concentrated, suitable additives were added. The final products contain rich amino acids.

Sage (Salvia officinalis) contains high amounts of the biologically active rosmarinic acid (RA) and other polyphenolic compounds. RA is easily oxidized, and may undergo degradation during sample preparation for analysis. The objective of this work was to develop and validate an analytical procedure for determination of RA in sage, using factorial design of experiments for optimizing sample preparation. The statistically significant variables for improving RA extraction yield were determined initially and then used in the optimization step, using central composite design (CCD). The analytical method was then fully validated, and used for the analysis of commercial samples of sage. The optimized procedure involved extraction with aqueous methanol (40%) containing an antioxidant mixture (ascorbic acid and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)), with sonication at 45 deg C for 20 min. The samples were then injected in a system containing a C18 column, using methanol (A) and 0.1% phosphoric acid in water (B) in step gradient mode (45A:55B, 0-5 min; 80A:20B, 5-10 min) with flow rate of 1.0 mL min−1 and detection at 330 nm. Using this conditions, RA concentrations were 50% higher when compared to extractions without antioxidants (98.94 ± 1.07% recovery). Auto-oxidation of RA during sample extraction was prevented by the use of antioxidants resulting in more reliable analytical results. The method was then used for the analysis of commercial samples of sage. (author)

Full Text Available The acid–base properties of calcon (1-(2-hydroxy-1-naphthylazo-2-naphthol-4-sulfonic acid in water and mixed water–organic solvents at 25 °C at an ionic strength of 0.10 M are studied by a multiwavelength spectrophotometric method. The organic solvents used were the amphiprotic (methanol, dipolar aprotic (dimethylsulfoxide, and low basic aprotic (acetonitrile. To evaluate the pH absorbance data, a resolution method based on the combination of soft- and hard-modeling was applied. The acidity constants of all related equilibria were estimated using the whole spectral fitting of the collected data to an established factor analysis model. The data analysis program Datan was applied for determination of the acidity constants. The corresponding pKa values were determined in water and mixed water–organic solvents. Linear relationship between the acidity constants and the mole fraction of the different sol-vents in the mixtures exist. The effect of solvent properties on acid–base behavior is discussed.

The total content of the rich amino acids in two common red algae, Polysiphonia urceolata and Polysiphonia japonica growing in the Qingdao seashore were determined. The algae powder was hydrolyzed by 6 mol/L HCl at 110°C for 48 h and determined by amino acid analyzer. The content was 25.35% and 24.16%, respectively, much higher than that of some other species. In addition, a nutritive liquid with abundant amino acids was prepared (by the enzymatic hydrolysis method using Polysiphonia urceolata) as raw material for a kind of health beverage. The dried seaweed was decolored by 0.25% KMnO4 and 0.5% active carbon, then enzymalized. In the selection of enzymalizing condition, the orthogonal experimental design was used. Four factors including kinds of enzyme, quantity of enzyme, temperature and time were studied at 3 levels. According to the orthogonal design results, we can choose an optimal condition: hydrolyzing at 45°C by neutral proteinase (0.25%, w/w) for 2h, adjusting pH to 8.5, then adding trypsin (0.25%, w/w) and hydrolyzing for 2 h. Finally the above solution was alkalized by NaOH and neutralized by casein. After the hydrolyzed liquid was filtered and concentrated, suitable additives were added. The final products contain rich amino acids.

Novel zinc oxide (ZnO) nanosheets and copper oxide (CuxO, CuO, and Cu2O) decorated polypyrrole (PPy) nanofibers (ZnO-CuxO-PPy) have been successfully fabricated for the simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA), and uric acid (UA). The morphology and structure of ZnO-CuxO-PPy nanocomposites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy. Compared with the bare glassy carbon electrode (GCE), PPy/GCE, CuxO-PPy/GCE, and ZnO-PPy/GCE, ZnO-CuxO-PPy/GCE exhibits much higher electrocatalytic activities toward the oxidation of AA, DA, and UA with increasing peak currents and decreasing oxidation overpotentials. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) results show that AA, DA, and UA could be detected selectively and sensitively at ZnO-CuxO-PPy/GCE with peak-to-peak separation of 150 and 154 mV for AA-DA and DA-UA, respectively. The calibration curves for AA, DA, and UA were obtained in the ranges of 0.2 to 1.0 mM, 0.1 to 130.0 μM, and 0.5 to 70.0 μM, respectively. The lowest detection limits (signal/noise=3) were 25.0, 0.04, and 0.2 μM for AA, DA, and UA, respectively. With good selectivity and sensitivity, the current method was applied to the determination of DA in injectable medicine and UA in urine samples. PMID:25576954

Besides alcohol and drugs of abuse, several popular foods contain potentially toxic substances and cases of intoxication after consumption of these foods attract notice of forensic toxicology. This is also true for the case of a 34-year-old woman who was suspected to have suffered lethal acute intoxication from eating nothing but liquorice over a period of several months. The liquorice ingredient glycyrrhizin and its metabolite glycyrrhetic acid, which elicits a mineralocorticoid effect, were determined in the sort of liquorice the woman had consumed by using LC-MS/MS. In addition, a fast and sensitive procedure for the quantification of glycyrrhetic acid including a simple sample preparation was developed. The method was proven to be accurate and precise. In a liquorice ingestion experiment, 200 g of liquorice had to be eaten. Afterwards, concentrations of glycyrrhetic acid in the blood of up to 434 ng/ml were measured. Since only traces of glycyrrhetic acid had been found in the blood and stomach content of the deceased woman, the possibility of acute lethal glycyrrhetic acid intoxication could be eliminated. Excluding other causes of death, the woman is believed to have died from a lethal hyperglycemic coma. Nonetheless, the influence of harmful and toxic substances in food should be taken into consideration in special cases. PMID:20064700

Human A, B, and O blood type is determined by the presence or absence of distinct carbohydrate structures on red blood cells. Type O individuals have α-fucose(1→2)galactose disaccharides [O(H) structures] on their cell surfaces while in type A or B individuals, the O antigen is capped by the addition of an α- N -acetylgalactosamine or α-galactose residue, respectively. The addition of these monosaccharides is catalyzed by glycosyltransferase A (GTA) or glycosyltransferase B (GTB). These are homologous enzymes differing by only 4 amino acids out of 354 that change the specificity from GTA to GTB. In this review the chemistry of the blood group ABO system and the role of GTA, GTB, and the four critical amino acids in determining blood group status are discussed. See JCE Featured Molecules .

The determination of small amounts of D-amino acids in mammalian tissues is still a challenging theme in the separation sciences. In this review, various gas-chromatographic and high-performance liquid chromatographic methods are discussed including highly selective and sensitive column-switching procedures. Based on these methods, the distributions of D-aspartic acid, D-serine, D-alanine, D-leucine and D-proline have been clarified in the mouse brain. As the regulation mechanisms of D-amino acid amounts in mammals, we focused on the D-amino-acid oxidase, which catalyzes the degradation of D-amino acids. Using the mutant mouse strain lacking D-amino-acid oxidase activity, the effects of the enzymatic activity on the amounts and distributions of various D-amino acids have been investigated. PMID:16141519

Seventy-one samples of sugarcane spirits from small and average size stills produced in the northern and southern Minas Gerais (Brazil) were analyzed for acrolein using HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography). Ethanol and copper concentrations and volatile acidity were also determined according to methods established by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA). A total of 9.85% of the samples tested showed levels of acrolein above the legal limits, while the copper conce...

Objective: To determine fruit characteristics, fatty acid profile and total antioxidant capacitiy of first cultured Mespilus germanica L. Methods: A total of 15 fruits were taken randomly from four directions of adult trees. Then the physical and chemical properties of first cultured medlar fruit (Istanbul/Turkey) were measured by using refractometer, colorimeter, spectrophotometer and gas chromatograph mass spectrometer, respectivly. Results: In the fruit studied, the resul...

The spontaneous interaction between sulfuric acid and carbon nanotubes is studied using Raman spectroscopy. We are able to determine the charge transfer without any additional parameter using the spectral signature of inner and outer walls of double-wall carbon nanotubes. While for the outer wall both the lattice contraction and the nonadiabatic effects contribute to the phonon shift, only the lattice contraction contributes for the inner nanotube. For the outer nanotube, we are able to separ...

It was found that micro amounts of oxalate showed a very strong catalytic effect on the slow reaction between K2Cr2O7 and Orange Ⅳ in a diluted sulfuric acid medium in a water bath at 70 ℃. Orange Ⅳ exhibited a sensitive second-order derivative polarographic wave at -0.50 V(vs. SCE). This provides the basis for a sensitive and selective catalytic kinetic method for oxalate determination with second-order derivative oscillopolarography. The effects of sulphuric acid, K2Cr2O7, and orange Ⅳ concentrations, reaction temperature and reaction time were investigated. A calibration curve of oxalate in the range of 0.1—2.0 μg/mL was obtained by the fixed-time procedure. The detection limit was 0.03 μg/ mL. The possible interference from co-existing substances or ions was examined. The new method has a high sensitivity and a good selectivity compared to other existing methods for oxalic aciddetermination. It has been applied to the determination of micro amounts of oxalate in real urine samples with satisfactory results.

In this work the acid dissociation constants--pKa of warfarin and its all important oxidative metabolites have been determined by capillary electrophoresis-based methods. It has resulted in a complete description of two acid-base dissociation equilibria, yet not investigated experimentally for phase I metabolites of warfarin. The capillary electrophoresis (CE) method based on the relation between effective electrophoretic mobilities and pH has proven to be a suitable tool for pKa determination, while the spectrophotometric (CE-DAD) and the internal standard methods (IS-CE), have appeared to be promising alternative approaches. The CE-DAD approach based on the change in absorbance spectra between the acidic and basic forms is a combination between capillary electrophoresis and spectrophotometric titration, and yields very consistent values of pKa1 with CE. The IS-CE, in turn, enables an estimation of pKa1 and pKa2 from only two analytical runs, however, less accurate than CE and CE-DAD. The Debye-Hückel model has been confirmed experimentally as a good predictor of pKa values at various ionic strengths. Therefore, it has been used in determination of thermodynamic pKa1 and pKa2, referring to the zero ionic strength. The results are important from the analytical, pharmacological, and theoretical points of view. PMID:25968611

Two methods for vanadium determination in fuel oil are proposed using GF AAS. The first is based on the preparation of a microemulsion followed by direct injection into the graphite tube. The pyrolysis and atomization temperatures, 1500 and 2700 deg C, respectively, were chosen from the temperature curves. This procedure allows determination of vanadium with a detection limit of 0.10 {mu}g g{sup -1} and characteristic mass of 87 pg. The other method uses total acid digestion of the sample with sulfuric acid, nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide. In this procedure, the pyrolysis and atomization temperatures recommended were 1000 and 2700 deg C, respectively. Among the analytical characteristics for this method are a detection limit of 0.25 {mu}g g{sup -1} and a characteristic mass of 63 pg. The accuracy of both procedures was confirmed by the determination of vanadium in the certified reference material NIST SRM 1634c-trace metals in fuel oil. (author)

Full Text Available Inspite of the beautiful red coloured oxidized product of O-anisidine, the studies on its application in analytical techniques are scanty. So, authors have taken up the investigation on the utility of O-anisidine as a new Analytical reagent in the bromatometric-Indicator reaction. The detailed reaction on the potassium bromate and OAnisidine has enabled the authors to utilize O-Anisidine in titration of Ascorbic Acid and Isonicitonic Acid Hydrazide. Suitable conditions has been established with different acids viz., hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid to give sharp colour change at the equivalence point. The present method has been applied for the estimation of Ascorbic acid and also Isonicitonic Acid Hydrazide in pharmaceutical formulations and results obtained are in good agreement with the values obtained by standard methods

A laboratory to determine the equilibrium constants of weak acid negative weak base reactions is described. The equilibrium constants of component reactions when multiplied together equal the numerical value of the equilibrium constant of the summative reaction. The component reactions are weak acid ionization reactions, weak base hydrolysis…

A sensitive and selective spectrophotometric method is proposed for the rapid determination of zinc(II) using an 8-hydroxyquinoline derivative, 7-(4-nitrophenylazo)-8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid (p-NIAZOXS), as a new spectrophotometric reagent. The reaction between the p-NIAZOXS and zinc(II) is instantaneous at pH 9.2 (borax buffer) and the absorbance remains stable for over 24 h. The method allows the determination of zinc over the range of 0.05-1.0 mug mL-1 with a molar absorptivity of...

The authors study the absorption spectra and fourth derivative spectra (FDS) of U(VI) and Pu(IV) in nitric acid solutions and the effect of impurities on FDS. The concentrations of U(VI) and Pu(IV) with peak-zero method at 415 nm and peak-area method between 472.5-479.5 nm are determined, respectively. When CHNO3 or CNO3- is in 1.5-3.0 mol/l, U(VI) can be directly determined by FDS, with the analysis deviation -4 mol/l

Method for determination of uranium isotopes in various environmental samples is presented. The major advantages of the method are the low cost of the analysis, high radiochemical yields and good decontamination factors from the matrix elements, natural and man-made radionuclides. The separation and purification of uranium is attained by adsorption with strong base anion exchange resin in sulfuric and hydrochloric acid media. Uranium is electrodeposited on a stainless steel disk and measured by alpha spectrometry. The analytical method has been applied for the determination of concentrations of uranium isotopes in mineral, spring and tap waters from Bulgaria. The analytical quality was checked by analyzing reference materials. PMID:27451111

A sensitive and selective electrochemical method for the determination of epinephrine (EP) was developed using a modified carbon paste electrode (MCPE) with 2,2'- [3,6-dioxa-l,8-octanediylbis(nitriloethylidyne)]-bis-hydroquinone (DOH). Cyclic vol-tammetry was used to investigate the redox properties of this modified electrode at various solution pH values and at various scan rates. In differential pulse voltammetry, the modified electrode could separate the oxidation peak potentials of EP and uric acid (UA) present in the solution but at the unmodified CPE the peak potentials were indistinguishable. This method was also examined for determination of EP in EP injection.

The content of phenolic acids formed during wound healing of gamma-irradiated and nonirradiated potato tubers was determined by HPLC. Chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and ferulic acid were detected in small quantities in resting whole tubers of irradiated and nonirradiated potatoes. During wound healing their content increased many fold, and in addition, the neo and crypto isomers of chlorogenic acid accumulated in the wound healing tissue. The increased formation of phenolics was accompanied by a parallel rise in phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity. Chlorogenic acid contributed about 56% and together with the neo and crypto isomers accounted for 88% of the phenolics formed. Tubers irradiated to 100 Gy for sprout inhibition showed significantly lower levels of chlorogenic acid and its isomers during the first 8 days of wound healing. The results point to an impairment of wound-induced biosynthesis of phenolics in general and chlorogenic acid and its isomers in particular by irradiation

The determination of seven aliphatic carboxylic acids, formic, acetic, propionic, isobutyric, n-butyric, isovaleric and n-valeric acids in anaerobic digestion process waters was examined using ion-exclusion chromatography with conductimetric detection. The analysis of these biologically important carboxylic acids is necessary as a measure for evaluating and controlling the process. The ion-exclusion chromatography system employed consisted of polymethacrylate-based weakly acidic cation-exchange resin columns (TSKgel OApak-A or TSKgel Super IC-A/C). weakly acidic eluent (benzoic acid), and conductimetric detection. Particle size and cation-exchange capacity were 5 microm and 0.1 meq./ml for TSKgel OApak-A and 3 microm and 0.2 meq./ml for TSKgel Super IC-A/C, respectively. A dilute eluent (1.0-2.0 mM) of benzoic acid was effective for the high resolution and highly conductimetric detection of the carboxylic acids. The good separation of isobutyric and n-butyric acids was performed using the TSKgel Super IC-A/C column (150 mm x 6.0 mm i.d. x 2). The simple and good chromatograms were obtained by the optimized ion-exclusion chromatography conditions for real samples from mesophilic anaerobic digestors, thus the aliphatic carboxylic acids were successfully determined without any interferences. PMID:15250416

Considered are methods of Be determination based on Be isolation from the solutions using aminophosphonic acid covalently bound on silica gel surface (APA-SiO2) and subsequent photometric or atomic-absorption determination of Be in eluate ( the limit of Be determination is 0.00005 mg/l or 0.00008 mg/l, respectively). APA-SiO2 high efficiency and a possibility of beryllium ions extraction from diluted solutions by means of sorbent small weighed portions is shown. High efficiency of the sorbent both for concentration and waters purification from beryllium is shown. Methods are tested in analysis of waste water. To assess the accuracy of the proposed methods, parallel determination of beryllium in tests by means of the additions method was carried out. The given data testify to a sufficient accuracy and reproducibility of the proposed methods

To elucidate the possibility of using pyrazolone-5-diantipyril-methane (DAM) derivative for determination of terbium microimpurities, the conditions have been studied of luminescent determination of terbium in complex compounds containing an ion of rare-earth element, diantipyrilmethane, and salicylic acid (Sal.). The ratio between the components in the complex REE-DAM-Sal is 1:1:3. La, Y, Gd do not affect the luminescence intensity of terbium complex. A luminescent method of determining terbium traces in highly pure oxides of lanthanum, gadolinium, lutetium, and yttrium has been developed in which suspensions of complex precipitation are used. The amount of terbium determined in oxide of lanthanum, gadolinium, and lutetium is (1-5)x10-6% and (2-3)x10-5% in yttrium oxide

The lengths of ultraviolet irradiation-induced repair resynthesis patches were measured in repair-competent extracts of Escherichia coli. Extracts containing wild-type deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase I introduced a patch 15 to 20 nucleotides in length during repair of ColE1 plasmid DNA; extracts containing the polA5 mutant form of DNA polymerase I introduced a patch only about 5 nucleotides in length in a similar reaction. The repair patch length in the presence of either DNA polymerase corresponded to the processivity of that polymerase as determined with purified enzymes and DNA treated with a nonspecific endonuclease. The base composition of the repair patch inserted by the wild-type DNA polymerase was similar to that of the bacterial genome, whereas the patch inserted by the mutant enzyme was skewed toward greater pyrimidine incorporation. This skewing is expected, considering the predominance of pyrimidine incorporation occurring at the ultraviolet lesion and the short patch made by the mutant enzyme. Since the defect in the polA5 DNA polymerase which causes premature dissociation from DNA is reflected exactly in the repair patch length, the processive mechanism of the polymerase must be a central determinant of patch length

Full Text Available A method for simultaneous separation and quantitative determination of arabinose, galactose, glucose, xylose, xylonic acid, gluconic acid, galacturonic acid, and glucuronic acid was developed by using high performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD. The separation was performed on a CarboPacTM PA-10 column (250 mm × 2 mm with a various gradient elution of NaOH-NaOAc solution as the mobile phase. The calibration curves showed good linearity (R2 ≥ 0.9993 for the monosaccharides, uronic acids, and aldonic acids in the range of 0.1 to 12.5 mg/L. The detection limits (LODs and the quantification limits (LOQs were 4.91 to 18.75 μg/L and 16.36 to 62.50 μg/L, respectively. Relative standard deviations (RSDs of the retention times and peak areas for the seven consecutive determinations of an unknown amount of mixture were 0.15% to 0.44% and 0.22% to 2.31%, respectively. The established method was used to separate and determine four monosaccharides, two uronic acids, and two aldonic acids in the prehydrolysate from dilute acid steam-exploded corn stover within 21 min. The spiked recoveries of monosaccharides, uronic acids, and aldonic acids ranged from 91.25% to 108.81%, with RSDs (n=3 of 0.04% ~ 6.07%. This method was applied to evaluate the quantitative variation of sugar and sugar acid content in biomass prehydrolysates.

A method was developed for the quantitative determination of protocatechuic acid in rat plasma by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). With added p-hydroxybenzoic acid as internal standard, the plasma samples were extracted with a solvent mixture of methanol and acetonitrile ( 1: 5, v/v). The analyte was determined by HPLC with a Diamondsil C18 column and a mobile phase of acetonitrile-water (adjusted to pH 2.5 with H3PO4, 9: 91, v/v) at a flow rate of 1. 2 mL/min. The UV detection wavelength was 260 nm. The assay exhibited a good linearity in the concentration range from 0. 050 to 3. 20 mg/L with a correlation coefficient of 0. 997 8. The limit of quantification was 0. 050 mg/L. The relative standard deviations of intra-day and inter-day determination were both less than 7. 0% and the accuracy ranged from - 1. 4% to 2. 6%. The extraction recoveries of protocatechuic acid from rat plasma samples at three concentration levels were 83. 4%, 87. 3%, and 91. 1%, respectively. The developed method was applied to a pharmacokinetic study. The main pharmacokinetic parameters in rats after a single oral dose of 10 mL/kg body weight were as follows: Cmax of (3. 16 +0. 03) microg/mL, tmax of (0. 50 +/- 0. 00) h, AU0-->t of (39. 9 +/- 5. 9) microg x mL(-1) x h, AUC-->infinity of (54. 8 +/- 8. 1) microg x mL(-1) x h and t1/2 of (3. 87 +/- 0. 25) h. The method was proved to be simple, sensitive and accurate, thus suitable for the pharmacokinetic study of protocatechuic acid in rat plasma. PMID:17580687

A reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for determining free amino acids in burley tobacco. The test was done by OPA/3-mercaptopropionic acid as the pre-column derivatizing reagent. Chromatographic column was Elitte C(18) column (4.6 mm × 250 mm i.d., 5 μm). Mobile phase A was 18 mol/l NaAc (pH7.2) including 0.002%(v/v) triethylamine and 0.3%(v/v) furanidine. Mobile phase B was 100 mol/l NaAc (pH7.2)-acetonitrile-methanol (v/v = 1:2:2). The column temperature was 40 °C and the flow rate was 1.0 ml/min. The fluorescence detector was used with 350 nm excitation wave length and 450 nm emission wave length. The average recoveries of the method ranged from 95.3-100.7% with the relative standard deviation of 2.32-9.24%. The method is simple, accurate and has good repeatability. The results of the determination of seventeen kinds of free amino acids in burley leaves were produced by the way of different ratios of cake fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer. The results show that Aspartic acid has the highest content however ratio of cake fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer. The contents of most of the free amino acids are increased and then gradually decreased with the increase in organic manure. The contents of most of the free amino acids are very close at 15:85% ratio and 30:70% ratio of cake fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer. The total amount of free amino acids is the highest at 30:70% ratio of cake fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer. Considering comprehensively, the quality of burley leaves is the best at 30:70% ratio of cake fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer. PMID:26858568

Full Text Available Objective: To determine the quantitative paremeters of rosmarinic acid in Algerian mints, Mentha spicata L. (M. spicata, Mentha pulegium L. and Mentha rotundifolia (L. Huds by high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC-densitometric method and screen the effects of these plant extracts on linoleic acid peroxidation. Methods: The analyses were performed on HPTLC silica gel 60 F254 plates with chloroform: acetone: formic acid (75:16.5:8.5, v/v as the mobile phase. Rosmarinic acid was determined in UV at 365 nm and fluorescence at λexc 325 nm with a 550 nm filter, respectively. The effects of plants extracts on linoleic acid peroxidation were measured by an indirect in vitro colorimetric method. Results: Chromatographic resolution permitted reliable quantification in both measurement modes and calibration curves were linear in a range of 150-1 000 ng/spot. M. spicata was found to contain significantly higher concentrations of rosmarinic acid. The densitometric quantification allowed the analysis of many samples in a short time with reasonable precision (total precision for Mentha spp extracts, 5.1% and 5.8% for UV and fluorescence detection, respectively. The HPTLC data, allied to assays of linoleic acid peroxidation prevention, suggested the potential of M. spicata (52% Trolox® equivalents as a natural source for inhibitors of lipid peroxidation. Conclusions: Densitometry can be used for routine determination and quality control of rosmarinic acid in herbal and formulations containing Mentha species.

Objective: To determine the quantitative paremeters of rosmarinic acid in Algerian mints,Mentha spicata L. (M. spicata), Mentha pulegium L. and Mentha rotundifolia (L.) Huds by high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC)-densitometric method and screen the effects of these plant extracts on linoleic acid peroxidation.Methods:The analyses were performed on HPTLC silica gel 60 F254 plates with chloroform:acetone: formic acid (75:16.5:8.5, v/v) as the mobile phase. Rosmarinic acid was determined in UV at 365 nm and fluorescence at λexc 325 nm with a 550 nm filter, respectively. The effects of plants extracts on linoleic acid peroxidation were measured by an indirect in vitro colorimetric method.Results:Chromatographic resolution permitted reliable quantification in both measurement modes and calibration curves were linear in a range of 150-1000 ng/spot. M. spicata was found to contain significantly higher concentrations of rosmarinic acid. The densitometric quantification allowed the analysis of many samples in a short time with reasonable precision (total precision for Mentha spp extracts, 5.1% and 5.8% for UV and fluorescence detection, respectively). The HPTLC data, allied to assays of linoleic acid peroxidation prevention, suggested the potential of M. spicata (52% Trolox®equivalents) as a natural source for inhibitors of lipid peroxidation.Conclusions:Densitometry can be used for routine determination and quality control of rosmarinic acid in herbal and formulations containing Mentha species.

Effects of co-existing agent and of Pu(IV)-polymer formation on the oxidation of Pu(IV) to Pu(VI) by Ce(IV) has been investigated in connection with the spectrophotometric determination of plutonium in nitric acid solution which includes the measurement of absorbance at 833 nm due to Pu(VI) after oxidizing plutonium ion into Pu(VI). Hydrogen peroxide and nitrite ions were dealt with as interfering species because these are most main radiolysis products in nitric acid solution. If 4 times or more concentration of Ce(IV) than that of hydrogen peroxide or nitrite ion is added to the sample solution, plutonium ion can be converted to Pu(VI) quantitatively even in the presence of these agents. Plutonium(IV) forming its polymer is hard to be oxidized to Pu(VI) by Ce(IV). The oxidation rate of Pu(IV)-polymer increases with the increase of the acid concentration of the solution. It takes, however, more than 1 hour to attain complete oxidation of polymer into Pu(VI) even in 3 M nitric acid solution. (author)

Fluorescence quenching of janus green B (JGB) in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelle by nucleic acids (DNA) was studied using UV-vis absorption, steady state fluorescence emission methods and lifetime measurements. In the SDS micelle, weak fluorescence of JGB was enhanced, and the maximum emission shifted from 425 to 410 nm. In the presence of DNA, the fluorescence of JGB was quenched. Linear relationships between the fluorescence quenching (F0/F) and concentrations of DNA were observed in the range of 2.4×10-8 to 1.08×10-7mol·L-1 for calf thymus nucleic acids (ct DNA) and 1.9×10-8 to 3.8×10-8 mol·L-1 for fish sperm nucleic acids (fs DNA) when 2.5×10-5 mol·L-1 JGB was employed. The limit detection were 1.3×10-8 mol·L-1 for ct DNA and 6.4×10-9 mol·L-1 for fs DNA. At high DNA concentration, there was a systematic deviation from the Stem-Volmer equation due to the static and dynamic quenching occurring simultaneously. The proposed method was applied to the determination of the nucleic acids in chicken blood extraction and the analytical results were in good agreement with the UV-method.

Full Text Available Titration acidity and content of total tannins in mass-market red wines are analyzed in this paper. The content of total acids in wine, expressed through wine acid, was analyzed by potentiometric titration on 7.00 pH value. According to titratable acidity in analyzed wines, all wines (only with analyzed parameters according to Regulations about wine quality. The analysis of differential potentiometric curves shows that these curves can give the answer to the question if non organic substances, amino groups and phenols are present in wine in large quantity, as they are always present in wine. However it doesn't give the clear answer which substances are present in analyzed samples. The answer to this question can be received only by the method of ionic chromatography. The content of total tannins shows short time of storage in wine cellars so wine wasn't stored long enough, i.e. they are commercial wines made for mass market production and consumption. Although they have less content of total tannin materials of given values, wine taste gives the correlation with other polyphenol materials that only give odour, aroma and 'bouquet' to wine. The relative error of mean value is very low which indicates the reproduction of results and reliability of the method of determination of total tannins in red wine.

A new method for determining the surface area of living marine alga cells was described. The method uses acid-base titration to measure the surface acid/base amount on the surface of alga cells and uses the BET (Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller) equation to estimate the maximum surface acid/base amount, assuming that hydrous cell walls have carbohydrates or other structural compounds which can behave like surface Brönsted acid-base sites due to coordination of environmental H2O molecules. The method was applied to 18 diverse alga species (including 7 diatoms, 2 flagellates, 8 green algae and 1 red alga) maintained in seawater cultures. For the species examined, the surface areas of individual cells ranged from 2.8 x 10(-8) m2 for Nannochloropsis oculata to 690 x 10(-8) m2 for Dunaliella viridis, specific surface areas from 1,030 m2.g-1 for Dunaliella salina to 28,900 m2.g-1 for Pyramidomonas sp. Measurement accuracy was 15.2%. Preliminary studies show that the method may be more promising and accurate than light/electron microscopic measurements for coarse estimation of the surface area of living algae. PMID:9297794

The electrochemical behaviour of the polycrystalline platinum electrode towards the oxidation/reduction of short-chain unsaturated aliphatic molecules such as acrylamide and acrylic acid was investigated in acidic solutions. Analytes were separated by reverse phase liquid chromatographic and quantified using a pulsed amperometric detection. A new two-step waveform, is introduced for detection of acrylamide and acrylic acid. Detection limits (LOD) of 20 nM (1. 4 microg/kg) and 45 nM (3.2 microg/kg) were determined in water solutions containing acrylamide and acrylic acid, respectively. Compared to the classical three-step waveform, the proposed two-step waveform shows favourable analytical performance in terms of LOD, linear range, precision and improved long-term reproducibility. The proposed analytical method combined with clean-up procedure accomplished by Carrez clearing reagent and subsequent extraction with a strong cation exchanger cartridges (SPE), was successfully used for the quantification of low concentrations of acrylamide in foodstuffs such as coffee and potato fries. PMID:16426623

Effects of column temperature and flow rate on separation of organic acids were studied by determining nine low-molecular-weight organic acids on reversed-phase C18 column using high performace liquid chromatography(HPLC) with a wavelength of UV(ultraviolet)214 nm and a mobile phase of 18 mmol L-1 KH2PO4 buffer solution (pH2.1).The thermal stabiltiy of organic acids was determined by comparing the recoveries of organic acids in different temperature treatments.The relationships between column temperature,flow rate or solvent pH and retention time were analyzed.At low solvent pH,separatioin efficiency of organic acids was increased by raising the flow rate of the solvent because of lowering the retention time or organic acids.High column temperature was unfavorable for the separation of organic acids.The separating effect can be enhanced through reducing column temperature in organic aciddetermination due to increasing retention time.High thermal stability of organic acids with low concentrations was observed at temperature of 40℃-45℃,Sensitivity and separation effect of organic aciddetermination by HPLC were clearly improved by a combination of raising flow rate and lowering column temperature at low solvent pH.

Full Text Available A simple and sensitive procedure was proposed for spectrophotometric determination of ascorbic acid. It was found that the reduction of Ag+ to silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs by ascorbic acid in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP as a stabilizing agent produce very intense surface plasmon resonance peak of Ag-NPs. The plasmon absorbance of the Ag-NPs at λ = 440 nm allows the quantitative spectrophotometric detection of the ascorbic acid. The calibration curve was linear with concentration of ascorbic acid in the range of 0.5–60 μM. The detection limit was obtained as 0.08 μM. The influence of potential interfering substances on the determination of ascorbic acid was studied. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of ascorbic acid in some powdered drink mixtures, commercial orange juice, natural orange juice, vitamin C injection, effervescent tablet, and multivitamin tablet.

In order to determine aromatic skeletons in the chemical structure of peat humic acid, zinc-dust distillation was carried out at 500 C for 2 hours in a stream of hydrogen, and the results compared to those from other substances such as phtholic acid, cumarin, naphthoquinone and ..cap alpha..-lactone. Subsequently, methods for the identification and semi-quantitative determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were applied. The total yield of polycyclic hydrocarbon having anthracene, pyrene and perylene rings was 1.9% of the original peat humic acid. However, the yield of aromatic hydrocarbons containing 3 to 5 rings from peat humic acid was approximately equal to those from the other substances. From the results, it is assumed that peat humic acid has no polycyclic ring systems as the aromatic structure, and that the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons produced by zinc-dust distillation were formed by a rearrangement and condensation of oxygen containing structures during the reaction.

The determination method of free acid in spent U-Al nuclear fuel solutions by Gran plot titration was described. Effect of U(VI) and Al(III) on the alkalimetric titration of nitric acid was investigation in oxalate complexing media as well as in noncomplexing media. Positive biases were observed in both titration media when the end-point was estimated by the Gran plot method. It was found that the cause of the bias was U(VI) in the oxalate complexing media, but Al(III) in the noncomplexing media. The relative error was less than 1% in the titration of 0.1 M HNO3 at a U(VI):Al(III):H+ mole ratio of up to 2:12:1 as long as the pH of the oxalate titration media was sustained to be below 5.0 at the beginning of titration. The method was successfully applied to the determination of nitric acid in a solution of HANARO reactor fuel with U:Al mole ratio of 1:6

Noninvasive analytical control is of special interest for the complicated and hazardous production processes. On-line monitoring provides a unique opportunity to determine critical concentrations rapidly and without serious risks to operating personnel and the environment. Models for quantitative determination of concentrations of Rare Earth Elements in complex mixtures in nitric acid serve for these purposes. Here, the feasibility of simultaneous determination of cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium using the whole UV-vis spectroscopic range, together with chemometric data processing, is studied. The predictability of two chemometric techniques, partial least squares regression and correlation constrained multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares are compared. Models' performances are analyzed in out-of-control cases. PMID:25818140

The solubility of D-xylose in formic acid and binary solvents of formic acid with formic acid and acetic acid, propionic acid, n-butyric acid or isobutyric acid was measured in the temperature range from 300.35 to 325.05 K using the synthetic method by a laser monitoring technique at atmospheric pressure. The solid-liquid equilibrium data will provide essential support for industrial design and further theoretical study. The experimental data show that the solubility of D-xylose in formic acid and in the mixtures of formic acid+acetic acid (1︰1), formic acid+propionic acid (1︰1), formic acid+n-butyric acid (1︰1), and formic acid+isobutyric acid (1︰1) increases with temperature. The Apelblat equation, theλh model, and the ideal solution equation correlate the solubility data well.

Full Text Available Domoic acid (DA, a neurotoxic amino acid produced by diatoms, is the main cause of amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP. In this work, we propose a very simple and fast analytical method to determine DA in mussel tissue. The method consists of two consecutive extractions and requires no purification steps, due to a reduction of the extraction of the interfering species and the application of very sensitive and selective HILIC-MS/MS method. The procedural method was validated through the estimation of trueness, extract yield, precision, detection, and quantification limits of analytical method. The sample preparation was also evaluated through qualitative and quantitative evaluations of the matrix effect. These evaluations were conducted both on the DA-free matrix spiked with known DA concentration and on the reference certified material (RCM. We developed a very selective LC-MS/MS method with a very low value of method detection limit (9 ng g−1 without cleanup steps.

Full Text Available A new amperometric uric acid biosensor was developed by immobilizing uricase by a glutaraldehyde crosslinking procedure on polyaniline-polypyrrole (pani-ppy composite film on the surface of a platinum electrode. Determination of uric acid was performed by the oxidation of enzymatically generated H2O2 at 0.4 V vs. Ag/AgCl. The linear working range of the biosensor was 2.5ÃƒÂ—10-6 Ã¢Â€Â“ 8.5ÃƒÂ—10-5 M and the response time was about 70 s. The effects of pH, temperature were investigated and optimum parameters were found to be 9.0, 55 oC, respectively. The stability and reproducibility of the enzyme electrode have been also studied.

Domoic acid (DA), a neurotoxic amino acid produced by diatoms, is the main cause of amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP). In this work, we propose a very simple and fast analytical method to determine DA in mussel tissue. The method consists of two consecutive extractions and requires no purification steps, due to a reduction of the extraction of the interfering species and the application of very sensitive and selective HILIC-MS/MS method. The procedural method was validated through the estimation of trueness, extract yield, precision, detection, and quantification limits of analytical method. The sample preparation was also evaluated through qualitative and quantitative evaluations of the matrix effect. These evaluations were conducted both on the DA-free matrix spiked with known DA concentration and on the reference certified material (RCM). We developed a very selective LC-MS/MS method with a very low value of method detection limit (9 ng g(-1)) without cleanup steps. PMID:26904720

A preconcentration neutron activation analysis (PNAA) method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of selected trace elements in acid rain and other water samples. The method consists of preconcentration of the elements by reversed phase extraction chromatography using oxine-loaded Amberlite XAD-2 resin. Nearly 100% recoveries were obtained for Co, Cu, Hg, V and Zn at pH 6.0 and for Cd at pH 7.0. Manganese gave incomplete recoveries at the pH range of 4.0-8.0 studies. Various factors that can influence preconcentration of the elements have been investigated in detail. The precision and accuracy of measurements have been evaluated by analyzing certified reference materials. The detection limits have been found to be of the order of ppb. The PNAA method has been applied to a number of acid rain and other water samples

We report on an electrochemical sensor for the detection of ferulic acid (FA) that is based on a glassy carbon electrode modified with functional multiwalled carbon nanotubes that are decorated with MnO2 nanoparticles. The new electrode shows excellent electrochemical catalytic activity towards the oxidation of ferulic acid at pH 7. Cyclic voltammetry reveals a 23 mV decrease in the peak-to-peak separation of the oxidation and reduction waves. Under optimized conditions, the anodic peak current at a voltage of 150 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl) is linearly related to the peak current in the 0.082–220 μM concentration range, and the limit of detection (at an SNR of 3) is 10 nM. The sensor was applied to the determination of FA in spiked human serum samples and gave satisfactory results, with recoveries ranging from 97 to 99.2 %. (author)

The acid-base properties of 1-(2-thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol (TAN) in mixtures of methanol-water at 25 ℃ and an ionic strength of 0.1 mol/L are studied by a multi-wavelength spectrophotometric method. The acidity constants of all related equilibria are estimated using the whole spectral fitting of the collected data to an established factor analysis model. DATAN program was used for determination of acidity constants. The corresponding pKa values in methanol-water mixtures were determined. There is a linear relationship between acidity constants and the mole fraction of methanol in the solvent mixtures.

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to estimate the true digestibility coefficients of amino acids and digestible amino acid values of some poultry feedstuffs. The feedstuffs were: babassu meal, sunflower meal, corn gluten meal, babassu starchy meal, meat and bone meal, common beans, pearl millet and residues of cookies, pasta and bread. The precise feeding method of Sibbald was used with adult cecectomized Leghorn roosters distributed in a completely randomized design, consisting of ten treatments and six replications with a rooster in each. The treatments were represented by the feedstuffs evaluated. The roosters were kept in a period of fasting for 36 hours and then fed 30 grams of feed. Samples were collected during 56 hours. Simultaneously, six roosters were kept fasting to make corrections to the metabolic and endogenous losses of amino acids. At the end of collections, the excreta obtained were weighed, freeze-dried and subsequently processed, so laboratory analyses were carried out and the coefficients of true digestibility of amino acids were determined. The mean values of the coefficients of true digestibility of essential and non-essential amino acids in percentage were respectively: 0.702 and 0.652 for the babassu meal; 0.852 and 0.786 for the sunflower meal; 0.928 and 0.887 for the corn gluten meal; 0.797 and 0.720 for the meat and bone meal; 0.364 and 0.339 for ground raw beans; 0.924 and 0.837 for ground pearl millet; 0.839 and 0.810 for cookie residue; 0.929 and 0.914 for pasta residue; and 0.904 and 0.899 for bread residue.

Full Text Available In winemaking gluconic acid is an important marker for quantitative evaluation of grape infection by Botrytis cinerea. A screen-printed amperometric bienzymatic sensor for the determination of gluconic acid based on gluconate kinase (GK and 6-phospho-D-gluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH coimmobilized onto polyaniline/poly (2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid; PANI-PAAMPSA is reported in this study. The conductive polymer electrodeposed on the working electrode surface allowed the detection of NADH at low potential (0.1 V with a linear range from 4 × 10−3 to 1 mM (R2 = 0.99 and a sensitivity of 419.44 nA∙mM−1. The bienzymatic sensor has been optimized with regard to GK/6PGDH enzymatic unit ratio and ATP/NADP+ molar ratio which resulted equal to 0.33 and 1.2, respectively. Under these conditions a sensitivity of 255.2 nA∙mM−1, a limit of detection of 5 μM and a Relative Standard Deviation (RSD of 4.2% (n = 5 have been observed. Finally, the biosensor has been applied for gluconic acid measurements in must grape samples and the matrix effect has been taken into consideration. The results have been compared with those obtained on the same samples with a commercial kit based on a spectrophotometric enzyme assay and were in good agreement, showing the capability of the bienzymatic PANI-PAAMPSA biosensor for gluconic acid measurements and thus for the evaluation of Botrytis cinerea infection in grapes.

Full Text Available A viable cost-effective and isocratic approach employing C-18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm based HPLC has been utilized to separate and estimate the drug, tranexamic acid in pharmaceutical formulations. Tranexamic acid contains no π-electrons to act as fluorophore or chromophore hence pre-column derivatization was performed with benzene sulfonyl chloride in aqueous medium at room temperature. The derivatized drug was then estimated using C-18 column by exploiting a 25:75 (v/v solvent mixture of acetonitrile and 0.1 M ammonium acetate (pH 5.0 as the mobile phase. The flow rate of mobile phase was 1 mL/min and detection was performed at a wavelength of 232 nm using UV detector. Retention time of tranexamic acid was 4.42 min. The method followed linear regression equation in the concentration range of 1–100 μg/mL with co-efficient of determination equal to 0.9994. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 0.3 and 1 μg/mL, respectively. The relative standard deviation and recovery ranges for tranexamic acid were found to be 0.11–2.47% and 97.60–103.25%, respectively. The suggested method is very sensitive and may have the potential to be used for tranexamic acid detection in medicinal formulations.

Analysis of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) usually requires a combination of high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, which is expensive and time-consuming. In the present work, water-soluble CdS quantum dots (QDs) were employed to develop a simple and rapid fluorometric method for the determination of PFOA. Strongly fluorescent CdS QDs were prepared by using 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) as a stabilizer. It was observed that PFOA strongly quenched the fluorescence emission of the MPA-CdS QDs because PFOA promotes the aggregation of MPA-CdS QDs through a fluorine–fluorine affinity interaction. Under optimum conditions, the fluorescence intensity of MPA-CdS QDs was observed to decrease linearly with an increase in the concentration of PFOA from 0.5 to 40 μmol L−1, with a limit of detection of 0.3 μmol L−1. This new method was successfully implemented for the analysis of PFOA-spiked textile samples, with recoveries ranging from 95% to 113%. - Highlights: • PFOA significantly quenched the fluorescence emission of quantum dots (QDs). • A rapid and simple fluorescence sensor was proposed for determining PFOA by QDs. • PFOA determination could be completed within approximately 10 min. • The developed method had a working range of 0.5 to 40 μmol L−1 and a detection limit of 0.3 μmol L−1

Full Text Available Background: Azelaic acid (AzA is the best known dicarboxilic acid to have pharmaceutical benefits and clinical applications and also to be associated with some diseases pathophysiology. Materials and Methods: We extracted and methylesterified AzA and determined its concentration in human plasma obtained from healthy individuals and also in mice fed AzA containing diet for three months. Results: AzA was detected in Gas Chromatography (GC and confirmed by Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS, and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMC. Our results have shown that AzA can be determined efficiently in selected biological samples by GC method with 1nM limit of detection (LoD and the limit of quantification (LoQ; was established at 50nM. Analytical Sensitivity as assayed by hexane demonstrated an analytical sensitivity at 0.050nM. The method has demonstrated 8-10% CV batch repeatability across the sample types and 13-18.9% CV for the Within-Lab Precision analysis. The method has shown that AzA can efficiently be recovered from various sample preparation including liver tissue homogenate (95% and human plasma (97%. Conclusions: Because of its simplicity and lower limit of quantification, the present method provides a useful tool for determining AzA in various biological sample preparations.

A new method for direct determination of dissolved Fe(III) in acid mine water has been developed. In most present methods, Fe(III) is determined by computing the difference between total dissolved Fe and dissolved Fe(II). For acid mine waters, frequently Fe(II) >> Fe(III); thus, accuracy and precision are considerably improved by determining Fe(III) concentration directly. The new method utilizes two selective ligands to stabilize Fe(III) and Fe(II), thereby preventing changes in Fe reduction-oxidation distribution. Complexed Fe(II) is cleanly removed using a silica-based, reversed-phase adsorbent, yielding excellent isolation of the Fe(III) complex. Iron(III) concentration is measured colorimetrically or by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). The method requires inexpensive commercial reagents and simple procedures that can be used in the field. Calcium(II), Ni(II), Pb(II), AI(III), Zn(II), and Cd(II) cause insignificant colorimetric interferences for most acid mine waters. Waters containing >20 mg of Cu/L could cause a colorimetric interference and should be measured by GFAAS. Cobalt(II) and Cr(III) interfere if their molar ratios to Fe(III) exceed 24 and 5, respectively. Iron(II) interferes when its concentration exceeds the capacity of the complexing ligand (14 mg/L). Because of the GFAAS elemental specificity, only Fe(II) is a potential interferent in the GFAAS technique. The method detection limit is 2 ??g/L (40 nM) using GFAAS and 20 ??g/L (0.4 ??M) by colorimetry.A new method for direct determination of dissolved Fe(III) in acid mine water has been developed. In most present methods, Fe(III) is determined by computing the difference between total dissolved Fe and dissolved Fe(II). For acid mine waters, frequently Fe(II)???Fe(III); thus, accuracy and precision are considerably improved by determining Fe(III) concentration directly. The new method utilizes two selective ligands to stabilize Fe(III) and Fe(II), thereby preventing changes

The publication of "Il metodo della pedagogica scientifica," by Dr. Maria Montessori, docent in the University of Rome, giving a full account of the inception and development of the system of education of which she is the author and the simultaneous translation of the work into English and German are events so unusual as to challenge attention.…

A new method for direct determination of dissolved Fe(III) in acid mine water has been developed. In most present methods, Fe(III) is determined by computing the difference between total dissolved Fe and dissolved Fe(II). For acid mine waters, frequently Fe(II) much-gt Fe(III); thus, accuracy and precision are considerably improved by determining Fe(III) concentration directly. The new method utilizes two selective ligands to stabilize Fe(III) and Fe(II), thereby preventing changes in Fe reduction-oxidation distribution. Complexed Fe(II) is cleanly removed using a silica-based, reversed-phase adsorbent, yielding excellent isolation of the Fe(III) complex. Iron(III) concentration is measured colorimetrically or by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). The method requires inexpensive commercial reagents and simple procedures that can be used in the field. Calcium(II), Ni(II), Pb(II), Al(III), Zn(II), and Cd(II) cause insignificant colorimetric interferences for most acid mine waters. Waters containing >20 mg of Cu/L could cause a colorimetric interference and should be measured by GFAAS. Cobalt(II) and Cr(III) interfere if their molar ratios to Fe(III) exceed 24 and 5, respectively. Iron(II) interferes when its concentration exceeds the capacity of the complexing ligand. Because of the GFAAS elemental specificity, only Fe(II) is a potential interferent in the GFAAS technique. The method detection limit is 2 microg/L using GFAAS and 20 microg/L by colorimetry

A new method for the determination of ionization constants of polyprotic weak acids is presented.Based on dissociation equilibrium, mass balance and charge balance, the mathematic model is established and the non-linear least-squares Gauss-Newton method is applied to numerically solve the model equations. In order to get the concentration of hydrogen ion, the Debye-Huckel equation is used to calculate its activity coefficient. The ionization constants of H2SO3 and H2C2O4 obtained by this method are in good agreement with the literature values.

The changes in MR-determined synovial membrane volume, early synovial enhancement, and cartilage and bone erosions after osmic acid knee synovectomy were studied. Gadolinium-DTPA enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 18 knees with persistent arthritis was performed before and 1 month after...... treatment. The synovial membrane volume was significantly reduced (median -52%) in all 9 patients brought into clinical remission (p < 0.01), while no significant change was found in patients with clinical relapse. The early synovial enhancement was not significantly changed. MRI revealed progressive...

In this paper, a modified method for the separation and determination of Rare Earth Elements in solution is developed. Lanthanide ions were separated by Reversed-Phase Ion Pair Chromatography using a mobile phase gradient of pH and lactic acid concentration. A post-column reaction with 4-(2 pyridyl)azo resorcinol was carried out for the spectrophotometric detection of solutes. The derivatizing reagent composition was optimized for good solute sensitivity and long-term reagent stability. Method limitations due to inadequate instrumentation are presented and discussed

Three modes of liquid-liquid based microextraction techniques--namely auxiliary solvent-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction, auxiliary solvent-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction with low-solvent consumption, and ultrasound-assisted emulsification microextraction--were compared. Picric acid was used as the model analyte. The determination is based on the reaction of picric acid with Astra Phloxine reagent to produce an ion associate easily extractable by various organic solvents, followed by spectrophotometric detection at 558 nm. Each of the compared procedures has both advantages and disadvantages. The main benefit of ultrasound-assisted emulsification microextraction is that no hazardous chlorinated extraction solvents and no dispersive solvent are necessary. Therefore, this procedure was selected for validation. Under optimized experimental conditions (pH 3, 7 × 10(-5) mol/L of Astra Phloxine, and 100 μL of toluene), the calibration plot was linear in the range of 0.02-0.14 mg/L and the LOD was 7 μg/L of picric acid. The developed procedure was applied to the analysis of spiked water samples. PMID:23381802

The accuracy of tracer methods for estimating free fatty acid (FFA) rate of appearance (Ra), either under steady-state conditions or under non-steady-state conditions, has not been previously investigated. In the present study, endogenous lipolysis (traced with 14C palmitate) was suppressed in six mongrel dogs with a high-carbohydrate meal 10 h before the experiment, together with infusions of glucose, propranolol, and nicotinic acid during the experimental period. Both steady-state and non-steady-state equations were used to determine oleate Ra ([3H]oleate) before, during, and after a stepwise infusion of an oleic acid emulsion. Palmitate Ra did not change during the experiment. Steady-state equations gave the best estimates of oleate inflow approximately 93% of the known oleate infusion rate overall, while errors in tracer estimates of inflow were obtained when non-steady-state equations were used. The metabolic clearance rate of oleate was inversely related to plasma concentration (P less than 0.01). In conclusion, accurate estimates of FFA inflow were obtained when steady-state equations were used, even under conditions of abrupt and recent changes in Ra. Non-steady-state equations, in contrast, may provide erroneous estimates of inflow. The decrease in metabolic clearance rate during exogenous infusion of oleate suggests that FFA transport may follow second-order kinetics

The accuracy of tracer methods for estimating free fatty acid (FFA) rate of appearance (Ra), either under steady-state conditions or under non-steady-state conditions, has not been previously investigated. In the present study, endogenous lipolysis (traced with /sup 14/C palmitate) was suppressed in six mongrel dogs with a high-carbohydrate meal 10 h before the experiment, together with infusions of glucose, propranolol, and nicotinic acid during the experimental period. Both steady-state and non-steady-state equations were used to determine oleate Ra ((/sup 3/H)oleate) before, during, and after a stepwise infusion of an oleic acid emulsion. Palmitate Ra did not change during the experiment. Steady-state equations gave the best estimates of oleate inflow approximately 93% of the known oleate infusion rate overall, while errors in tracer estimates of inflow were obtained when non-steady-state equations were used. The metabolic clearance rate of oleate was inversely related to plasma concentration (P less than 0.01). In conclusion, accurate estimates of FFA inflow were obtained when steady-state equations were used, even under conditions of abrupt and recent changes in Ra. Non-steady-state equations, in contrast, may provide erroneous estimates of inflow. The decrease in metabolic clearance rate during exogenous infusion of oleate suggests that FFA transport may follow second-order kinetics.

In this work, filter paper was used as a low cost substrate for silver nanoparticles in order to perform the detection and quantification of acetylsalicylic acid by SERS in a commercial tablet. The reaction conditions were 150 mM of ammonium hydroxide, 50 mM of silver nitrate, 500 mM of glucose, 12 min of the reaction time, 45 °C temperature, pretreatment with ammonium hydroxide and quantitative filter paper (1-2 μm). The average size of silver nanoparticles deposited on the paper substrate was 180 nm. Adsorption time of acetylsalicylic acid on the surface of the silver-coated filter paper was studied and an adsorption time of 80 min was used to build the analytical curve. It was possible to obtain a calibration curve with good precision with a coefficient of determination of 0.933. The method proposed in this work was capable to quantify acetylsalicylic acid in commercial tablets, at low concentration levels, with relative error of 2.06% compared to the HPLC. The preparation of filter paper coated with silver nanoparticles using Tollen's reagent presents several advantages such as low cost of synthesis, support and reagents; minimum amount of residuals, which are easily treated, despite the SERS spectroscopy presenting fast analysis, with low sample preparation and low amount of reactants as in HPLC analysis.

Free acidity is an important parameter in the nuclear reprocessing control. The accuracy on the determination of free acidity is not really required in the nuclear reprocessing control itself but is necessary for certain types of analysis such as spectrophotometry (Pu (VI), Am (III),...), density determinations. A new titripotentiometric method for free aciditydetermination in concentrated U(VI) and Pu(IV) solutions is presented. This method is based on the complexing properties of dipicolinic acid (pyridine 2.6 dicarboxylic acid) and medium effect with H2O/DMSO mixture. This method can be used either in organic or aqueous phases with ratio /H+I/ metal ≥ 5.10-2 and a relative standard deviation of 1%

In this work we have developed an approach to rapidly estimate the quality of P-33 labeled Orthophosphoric Acid (carrier free) in industrial production. The method was created to determine the values of specific radioactivity for both Orthophosphoric acid and gamma-Adenosine 5'-Triphosphate (ATP) by means of enzymatic ATP synthesis in equal molar ratio conditions for two main substrates (radioactive Orthophosphoric acid and ADP) with following chromatography of the reaction mixture on the PEI-cellulose micro column

Here is reported the separation of uranium (VI) in phosphoric acid by liquid-solid extraction with TAPO(Tri-Alkyl-Phosphine Oxide) and wax. The organic phase is stripped with 0.12 mol/l NaF solution. The uranium is determined spectrophotometrically with Arsenazo III and the fluoride ion is masked with 4% boric acid. Results of analysis of phosphoric acid samples by this method are given

Objective:To determine fruit characteristics, fatty acid profile and total antioxidant capacitiy of first culturedMespilus germanica L. Methods: A total of15 fruits were taken randomly from four directions of adult trees.Then the physical and chemical properties of first cultured medlar fruit (Istanbul/Turkey) were measured by using refractometer, colorimeter, spectrophotometer and gas chromatograph mass spectrometer, respectivly. Results: In the fruit studied, the results showed that palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, arachidic acid and behenic acid were the most abundant fatty acids (FAs), and the main FA was palmitic acid [(35.35 ± 1.20)%]. The percentage of linoleic acid and stearic acid in this fruit oil were (29.10 ± 1.70)% and(8.53 ± 0.25)%, respectively. As a result of the analysis, the total antioxidant capacity of medlar fruit was (1.1 ± 0.2) mmol trolox equivalents/L. Conclusions: The present study has demonstrated the concentrations of FAs and the antioxidantive capacity of first cultured Istanbul medlar fruits by using many tested methods. It is proved that in our daily life, medlar fruit plays a significant role with its nutrition and health effect.

On the basis of gas chromatography(GC) coupled with a short capillary column and an electron capture detector(ECD), a simple and rapid method for the determination of five haloacetic acids(HAAs) in drinking water was developed by the optimization of derivation conditions and the modification of gas chromatographic program. HAAs formation potential(HAAFP) of the reaction of humic acid with chlorine was determined via this method. The major advantages of the method are the simplicity of chromatographic temperature program and the short run time of GC. Dichloroacetic acid(DCAA) and Trichloroacetic acid(TCAA), which were detected in the determination of HAAFP, were rapidly formed in the first 72 h of the reaction of humic acid with chlorine. HAAFP of the reaction of humic acid with chlorine increased with the increase in the concentrations of humic acid and chlorine. The average HAAFP of the reaction of humic acid with chlorine was 39.9 μg/mg TOC under the experimental conditions. When the concentration of humic acid was 4 mg/L, the concentration of HAAs, which were produced in the reaction of humic acid with chorine, may exceed MCL of 60 μg/L HAAs as the water quality standards for urban water supply of China and the first stage of US EPA disinfection/disinfection by-products(D/DBP) rule; when the concentration of humic acid was 2 mg/L, the concentration of HAAs may exceed MCL of 30 μg/L HAAs for the second stage of US EPA D/DBP rule. When humic acid was reacted with chlorine dioxide, only DCAA was detected with a maximum concentration of 3.3 μg/L at a humic acid content of 6 mg/L. It was demonstrated that the substitution of chlorine dioxide for chorine may entirely or partly control the formation of HAAs and effectively reduce the health risk associated with disinfected drinking water.

A preconcentration neutron activation analysis (PNAA) method involving reversed-phase extraction chromatography on 8-hydroxyquinoline-loaded Amberlite XAD-2 resin has been developed for the simultaneous determination of selected trace elements in acid rain and natural water samples. Quantitative retention has been achieved for Co, Cu, Hg, V and Zn at pH 6.0 and for Cd at pH 7.0. Various factors that can influence the preconcentration procedure have been studied in detail. Concentrations of the elements have been determined by the direct irradiation of the resin without eluting them from the column. Both precision and accuracy of the PNAA method are very good. The detection limits vary between 0.01 and 3 ppb. (author) 48 refs.; 2 figs.; 4 tabs

Five spectrophotometric methods were successfully developed and validated for the determination of betamethasone valerate and fusidic acid in their binary mixture. Those methods are isoabsorptive point method combined with the first derivative (ISO Point - D1) and the recently developed and well established methods namely ratio difference (RD) and constant center coupled with spectrum subtraction (CC) methods, in addition to derivative ratio (1DD) and mean centering of ratio spectra (MCR). New enrichment technique called spectrum addition technique was used instead of traditional spiking technique. The proposed spectrophotometric procedures do not require any separation steps. Accuracy, precision and linearity ranges of the proposed methods were determined and the specificity was assessed by analyzing synthetic mixtures of both drugs. They were applied to their pharmaceutical formulation and the results obtained were statistically compared to that of official methods. The statistical comparison showed that there is no significant difference between the proposed methods and the official ones regarding both accuracy and precision.

1. The fatty acid (FA) composition of Daphnia galeata and their algal food was analysed and showed many similarities, however, some significant differences were also found in the relative abundance of the FA C16:4 omega 3 and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Their relative abundances were much lower in d

The near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy technique has been applied in many fields because of its advantages of simple preparation,fast response,and non-destructiveness.We investigated the potential of NIR spectroscopy in diffuse reflectance mode for determining the soluble solid content (SSC) and acidity (pH) of intact loquats.Two cultivars of loquats (Dahongpao and Jiajiaozhong) harvested from two orchards (Tangxi and Chun'an,Zhejiang,China) were used for the measurement of NIR spectra between 800 and 2500 nm.A total of 400 loquats (100 samples of each cultivar from each orchard) were used in this study.Relationships between NIR spectra and SSC and acidity of ioquats were evaluated using partial least square (PLS) method.Spectra preprocessing options included the first and second derivatives,multiple scatter correction (MSC),and the standard normal variate (SNV).Three separate spectral windows identified as full NIR (800-2500 nm),short NIR (800～1100 nm),and long NIR (1100～2500 nm) were studied in factorial combination with the preprocessing options.The models gave relatively good predictions of the SSC of loquats,with root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) values of 1.21,1.00,0.965,and 1.16 °Brix for Tangxi-Dahongpao,Tangxi-Jiajiaozhong,Chun'an-Dahongpao,and Chun'an-Jiajiaozhong,respectively.The acidity prediction was not satisfactory,with the RMSEP of 0.382,0.194,0.388,and 0.361 for the above four loquats,respectively.The results indicate that NIR diffuse reflectance spectroscopy can be used to predict the SSC and acidity of loquat fruit.

Amino acids in individual human lymphocytes were determined by capillary zone electrophoresis with electrochemical detection after on-capillary derivatization. In order to inject cells easily, a cell injector was designed. Four amino acids (serine, alanine, taurine, and glycine) in single human lymphocytes have been identified. Quantitation has been accomplished through the use of calibration curves.

methyl ester isomers. The quantitative determination of 4-chloroindole-3-acetic acid methyl ester in immature seeds of these three species was performed by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry using deuterium labelled 4-chloro-indole-3-acetic acid methyl ester as an internal standard. P. sativum...

Objective: To determine the fatty acid profile extracted from cuttlefish of Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, including Ancistrocheirus, Enoploteuthidae, Cranchiidae, Ommastrephidae and Loliginidae. Methods:Oil was extracted by the Bligh and Dyer method. The fatty acid profile of the oil was determined by gas chromatography. Results:The results showed that (13±5)% of wet weight of cuttlefish is oil. The results also showed that cuttlefish oil has 29.40% saturated fatty acids and 23.70% single-band unsaturated fatty acids, and the total value of the unsaturated multiple-band is 40.20%, the contents of arachidonic acid 2.78%, linolenic acid 3.10%, linoleic acid 5.20%, docosahexaenoic acid 15.40%, and eicosapentaenoic acid 9.60% out of the total fatty acids of the same may be mentioned. Conclusions:The results of the current study described that cuttlefish is considered for the first time as the new and rich source of omega-3 and omega-6.

Full Text Available Seventy-one samples of sugarcane spirits from small and average size stills produced in the northern and southern Minas Gerais (Brazil were analyzed for acrolein using HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Ethanol and copper concentrations and volatile acidity were also determined according to methods established by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA. A total of 9.85% of the samples tested showed levels of acrolein above the legal limits, while the copper concentrations of 21.00% of the samples and the volatile acidity of 8.85% of the samples were higher than the limits established by the Brazilian legislation. The concentration of acrolein varied from 0 to 21.97 mg.100 mL-1 of ethanol. However, no significant difference at 5% of significance was observed between the samples produced in the northern and southern Minas Gerais. The method used for determination of acrolein in sugarcane spirits involved the formation of a derivative with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (2,4-DNPH and subsequent analysis by HPLC.

Full Text Available The use of pesticides in agriculture is one of the current problems that may result in contamination of both ground and surface water and groundwater. Considering the environmental importance and the increasing use of herbicides in Maringá region, in the present work methods for extraction and determination of glyphosate (GLYP and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA using solid phase extraction (SPE and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC were developed. For SPE, anion exchange resin was used and elution was done with hydrochloric acid 50.0 mmol L-1, achieving recovery rates of 82.5-116.2% and 67.1-104.0% for AMPA and GLYP, respectively. For HPLC determination the analytes were derivatized and injected in the HPLC with a C18 column and using mobile phase consisting of phosphate buffer 0.20 mol L-1 at pH 3.0 and acetonitrile (85:15; the monitoring was done at 240 nm. The analysis was performed in 8 min with the same limit of detection and limit of quantification for AMPA and GLYP of 0.09 and 0.20 mg L-1, respectively. The methods were applied to analysis of public water supply samples and concentrations from 2.1 up to 2.9 µg L-1 for AMPA and from 2.3 up to 3.3 µg L-1 for glyphosate were found.

Full Text Available Asensitive, selective and rapid method for the determination of palladium based on the rapid reaction of palladium(II with 2-(2-quinolylazo-5-diethylaminobenzoic acid (QADEAB and the solid phase extraction of the Pd(II –QADEAB chelate with a reversed phase polymer-based C18 cartridge was developed. In the presence of 0.05 – 0. 5 mol/L of hydrochloric acid solution and cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB medium, QADEAB reacts with palladium(II to form a violet complex with a mole ratio 1:2 (palladium to QADEAB. The chelate was enriched by solid phase extraction with a reversed phase polymer-based C18 cartridge. An enrichment factor of 200 was obtained by elution of the chelate form the cartridge with the minimal amount of isopentyl alcohol. The molar absorptivity of the chelate in the isopentyl alcohol medium was 1.43 × 105 L mol-1 cm-1 at 628 nm. Beer’s law was obeyed in the range of 0.01 – 1.2 mg/mL. The relative standard deviation for eleven replicate samples at the 0.2 mg/L level was 2.18 %. The attained detection limit amounted to 0.02 mg/L in the original samples. This method was applied to the determination of palladium in environmental samples with good results.

The use of chiral organophosphorus derivatizing agents prepared in situ from chiral tartrate or chiral diamine for the 31PNMR determination of the enantiomeric composition of chiral carboxylic acids is described. The method is accurate, reliable and convenient.

A glassy carbon electrode modified with poly(alizarin red)/electrodeposited graphene (PAR/EGR) composite film was prepared and applied to detect ciprofloxacin (CPFX) in the presence of ascorbic, uric acid and dopamine. The morphology and interface property of PAR/EGR films were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The electrocatalytic oxidation of CPFX on AR/EGR was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The linearity ranged from 4 × 10(-8) to 1.2 × 10(-4) M with a detection limit (S/N=3) of 0.01 μM. The modified electrode could be applied to the individual determination of CPFX as well as the simultaneous determination of CPFX, ascorbic acid, uric acid and dopamine. This method proved to be a simple, selective and rapid way to determine CPFX in pharmaceutical preparation and biological media. PMID:24952626

A bivariate calibration method, has been applied to the simultaneous determination of U(VI) and Th(IV) ions as complexes with carminic acid by visible absorption spectrophotometry. The bivariate calibration method was applied satisfactorily to the determination of these ions in synthetic solutions simulating sulfuric acid leach solution obtained from uranium-thorium ores and the results were compared with those given by first derivative spectrophotometry. No significant advantages of any method were found. (author)

Apparent formation constants of Pu(IV) and Th(IV) with two kinds of humic acids were determined in 0.1 M NaClO{sub 4} at 25 C using a solvent extraction method with thenoyltrifluoroacetone in xylene. The acid dissociation constants of humic acids were also measured by potentiometric titration and used as the degree of dissociation for calculating the formation constants. The effect of solution conditions, such as the pH, the initial metal and humic acid concentrations, and the ionic strength, on the formation constants was examined. The obtained data were compared with the ones in the literature. (orig.)

Apparent formation constants of Pu(IV) and Th(IV) with two kinds of humic acids were determined in 0.1 M NaClO4 at 25 C using a solvent extraction method with thenoyltrifluoroacetone in xylene. The acid dissociation constants of humic acids were also measured by potentiometric titration and used as the degree of dissociation for calculating the formation constants. The effect of solution conditions, such as the pH, the initial metal and humic acid concentrations, and the ionic strength, on the formation constants was examined. The obtained data were compared with the ones in the literature. (orig.)

The concentration of nitric acid interfered with the distribution of uranium and plutonium in nuclear fuel reprocessing process. So, in the reprocessing process control analysis, the determination of the free acid plays an important role. Traditional laboratory analytical method of free acid needs large size sample and is time-consuming. Hence, development of fast analytical method for free acid has important significance for the reprocessing process control analysis. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been proved to be a powerful analytical tool and used in various fields, it’s seldom, however, used in spent

Analysis of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) usually requires a combination of high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, which is expensive and time-consuming. In the present work, water-soluble CdS quantum dots (QDs) were employed to develop a simple and rapid fluorometric method for the determination of PFOA. Strongly fluorescent CdS QDs were prepared by using 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) as a stabilizer. It was observed that PFOA strongly quenched the fluorescence emission of the MPA-CdS QDs because PFOA promotes the aggregation of MPA-CdS QDs through a fluorine–fluorine affinity interaction. Under optimum conditions, the fluorescence intensity of MPA-CdS QDs was observed to decrease linearly with an increase in the concentration of PFOA from 0.5 to 40 μmol L{sup −1}, with a limit of detection of 0.3 μmol L{sup −1}. This new method was successfully implemented for the analysis of PFOA-spiked textile samples, with recoveries ranging from 95% to 113%. - Highlights: • PFOA significantly quenched the fluorescence emission of quantum dots (QDs). • A rapid and simple fluorescence sensor was proposed for determining PFOA by QDs. • PFOA determination could be completed within approximately 10 min. • The developed method had a working range of 0.5 to 40 μmol L{sup −1} and a detection limit of 0.3 μmol L{sup −1}.

Potentiometric and microcalorimetric titration techniques were applied to determine the Gibbs free energies and enthalpies of the protonation of some carboxylic acids (acetic, glycolic, malonic and malic acids) and their complexation with Eu(III) in 1.0 M NaClO4 solution at 25 C, where Eu(III) was used as a chemical analogue of radiologically important Am(III). By using the values of ΔG determined by potentiometric titrations, the results of calorimetric titrations were analyzed to give the values of ΔH and ΔS. To support the discussion on the obtained thermodynamic quantities, the hydration numbers of Eu(III) in the complexes were obtained by TRLFS measurement, where the luminescence lifetime of Eu(III) excited by 394 nm laser was measured. A few to several kJ/mol of enthalpies were determined for the reactions within the uncertainties of ±0.01 to ±0.4. These enthalpy values indicated that the protonation of these carboxylates were entropy-driven, that is, vertical stroke - TΔS vertical stroke >> vertical stroke ΔH vertical stroke in ΔG = ΔH - TΔS. The complexations of Eu(III) were also shown to be controlled mainly by entropy term. The results of TRLFS measurement revealed that the number of dehydrated water molecule increased with the degree of complexation. A linear relation was found between total entropy change of the system (ΔST) and the net number of released molecules from the central Eu(III) ion. However, the values of ΔST for the hydroxy-carboxylates were smaller than that for simple carboxylates at the same net number of molecules released from Eu(III), suggesting that the dehydration occurred not only in the cation but also in the anion. (orig.)

Full Text Available The objective of this study was the detection and determination of four minor phenolic acids present in the polar fraction of olive oil. Gallic, homovanillic, caffeic and ferulic acids, were separated on RP-HPLC and detected by using three different systems. Detection limits were determined for the four compounds. Variable wavelength UV detectors were found to be more suitable than diode array for quantitative information. However, diode array was required for qualitative information for unknown components present in olive oil. For the determination of sensitive phenolic compouds present in minor amounts the use of a more sensitive system, such as the electrochemical detector, was necessary.

Inspite of the beautiful red coloured oxidized product of O-anisidine, the studies on its application in analytical techniques are scanty. So, authors have taken up the investigation on the utility of O-anisidine as a new Analytical reagent in the bromatometric-Indicator reaction. The detailed reaction on the potassium bromate and OAnisidine has enabled the authors to utilize O-Anisidine in titration of Ascorbic Acid and Isonicitonic Acid Hydrazide. Suitable conditions has been established wi...

Bile acids are a peculiar class of steroidal compounds that never cease to amaze. From being simple detergents with a primary role in aiding the absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins, bile acids are now widely considered as crucial hormones endowed with genomic and non-genomic functions that are mediated by their interaction with several proteins including the nuclear receptor Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR). Taking advantages of the peculiar properties of bile acids in interacting with the FXR receptor, several biliary derivatives have been synthesized and tested as FXR ligands. The availability of these compounds has contributed to characterize the receptor from a structural, patho-physiological and therapeutic standpoint. Among these, obeticholic acid is a first-in-class FXR agonist that is demonstrating hepatoprotective effects upon FXR activation in patients with liver diseases such as primary biliary cirrhosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. This review provides an historical overview of the rationale behind the discovery of obeticholic acid and chemical tools generated to depict the molecular features and bio-pharmacological relevance of the FXR receptor, as well as to summarize structure-activity relationships of bile acid-based FXR ligands so far reported. PMID:25388535

The noncovalent interactions of night blue (NB) with several nucleic acids in buffer medium of Britton-Robinson at pH 4.1 have been studied by spectroscopic methods.It is shown that the binding of NB with nucleic acids involves the J-aggregation of NB molecules on the surface of nucleic acids.The aggregation was encouraged by polyanions nucleic acids,in which nucleic acids served for acting templates,In this connection,a new method of nucleic acids with sensitivity at nanogram level is proposed based on the measurement of enhanced resonance light scattering (RLS).The linear range of ctDNA,fsDNA and yRNA is 0.01-2.5,0.03-2.5 and 0.04-1.0 μg/mL,respectively,and the corresponding detection limits(3σ）are 9.4,7.3 and 5.7ng/mL at 2.5×1005mol/L of NB.Synthetic and real samples were analyzed with satisfactory results.

Full Text Available Reshetilov AN, Kitova AE, Arkhipova AV, Kratasyuk VA, Rai MK. 2012. Determination of ethanol in acetic acid containing samples by a biosensor based on immobilized Gluconobacter cells. Nusantara Bioscience 4: 97-100. A biosensor based on Gluconobacter oxydans VKM B-1280 bacteria was used for detection of ethanol in the presence of acetic acid. It was assumed that this assay could be useful for controlling acetic acid production from ethanol and determining the final stage of the fermentation process. Measurements were made using a Clark electrode-based amperometric biosensor. The effect of pH of the medium on the sensor signal and the analytical parameters of the sensor (detection range, sensitivity were investigated. The residual content of ethanol in acetic acid samples was analyzed. The results of the study are important for monitoring the acetic acid production process, as they represent a method of tracking its stages

Cultivated and wild growing samples of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill., Apiaceae) from R. Macedonia were studied for their volatiles and fatty acid composition. The main essential oil components isolated via hydrodistillation were: trans-anethole (>80%), estragole (hexane and dichloromethane (3:1, v/v) in a Soxhlet extraction followed by transesterification. The obtained extracts were then characterized and the dominant fatty acid was 18:1 (petroselinic and oleic acid) 75.0-82.8%, followed by 18:2 (linoleic acid) 10.8-16.2% and other fatty acids: palmitic (4.3-6.9%), stearic (1.2-1.7%) and myristic (0-2.9%). The results for the volatile fraction after Soxhlet extraction and transesterification did not significantly differ from results obtained after hydrodistillation, especially for the main components (trans-anethole, estragole, fenchone and limonene), implying that the developed method can be used for simultaneous determination of volatiles and fatty acids. PMID:26594773

A sensitive, simple, and accurate method was developed for the determination and pharmacokinetic comparison of cinnamic acid in rat plasma after the administration of a Traditional Chinese Medicinal preparation, Di-Gu-Pi decoction, and pure cinnamic acid using RP-HPLC. Di-Gu-Pi was extracted with 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate, which was followed by purification with ion exchange column chromatography. The plasma samples taken from rats were deproteinized with methanol. The reversed-phase(HPLC) system with a Diamonsil C18 column and methanol-acetonitrile-water (8∶32∶60, volume ratio) (adjusted to pH=3.0 with glacial acetic acid) as the mobile phase was employed for the separation of cinnamic acid in the plasma samples. The detection was set at 272 nm and 3-(p-fluorophenyl)-2-propenoic acid was chosen as the internal standard. The calibration curve was linear in a range from 0.10 to 25.0 μg/mL (R2=0.9988, n=9). The precision was 3.42%-10.10%; the between-day precision was 2.84%-8.91%; the accuracy was -1.51%-1.26%; the mean recovery was 99.9%. The method was found to be sensitive, simple, accurate and appropriate for the determination of cinnamic acid.

An efficient and sensitive method for the determination of methylmercury in biological samples was developed based on acid leaching extraction of methylmercury into toluene. Methylmercury in the organic phase was determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). The methylmercury signal was enhanced and the reproducibility increased by formation of certain complexes and addition of Pd-DDC modifier. The complex of methylmercury with DDC produced the optimum analytical signal in terms of sensitivity and reproducibility compared to complexes with dithizone, cysteine, 1,10-phenanthroline, and diethyldithiocarbamate. Method performance was optimized by modifying parameters such as temperature of mineralization, atomization, and gas flow rate. The limit of detection for methylmercury determination was 0.015 {mu}g g{sup -1} and the RSD of the whole procedure was 12% for human teeth samples (n=5) and 15.8% for hair samples (n=5). The method's accuracy was investigated by using NIES-13 and by spiking the samples with different amounts of methylmercury. The results were in good agreement with the certified values and the recoveries were 88-95%. (orig.)

Full Text Available Simple, rapid, and extractive spectrophotometric methods were developed for the determination of some fluoroquinolones antibiotics: gemifloxacin mesylate (GMF, moxifloxacin hydrochloride (MXF, and enrofloxacin (ENF in pure forms and pharmaceutical formulations. These methods are based on the formation of ion-pair complexes between the basic drugs and acid dyes, namely, bromocresol green (BCG, bromocresol purple (BCP, bromophenol blue (BPB, bromothymol blue (BTB, and methyl orange (MO in acidic buffer solutions. The formed complexes were extracted with chloroform and measured at 420, 408, 416, 415, and 422 nm for BCG, BCP, BPB, BTB, and MO, respectively, for GMF; at 410, 415, 416, and 420 nm for BCP, BTB, BPB, and MO, respectively, for MXF; and at 419 and 414 nm for BCG and BTB, respectively, in case of ENF. The analytical parameters and their effects are investigated. Beer’s law was obeyed in the ranges 1.0–30, 1.0–20, and 2.0–24 μg mL−1 for GMF, MXF, and ENF, respectively. The proposed methods have been applied successfully for the analysis of the studied drugs in pure forms and pharmaceutical formulations. Statistical comparison of the results with the reference methods showed excellent agreement and indicated no significant difference in accuracy and precision.

An on-line pyrolytic butylation approach was proposed to determine methacrylic acid (MA) in food simulants by gas chromatography (GC) without an expensive pyrolyzer. MA in food simulants was converted into butyl methacrylate in the presence of tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH) without any pretreatment at 330°C in the injection-port, contributing to high GC signal response. The derivatizing conditions for the proposed method were optimized, namely the injection-port temperature, type and amount of the organic alkaline used for derivatization. A series of standard solutions of MA in the range of 1.0-50mg/kg were analyzed with correlation coefficient r≥0.9975. The limits of detection (LODs) were less than 0.15mg/kg for MA in four matrix simulants (distilled water, 3%w/v acetic acid, 10%v/v ethanol, and isooctane). Relative standard deviations (RSDs) for retention time, peak height and peak area were all less than 3.88%. The technique was successfully applied to the analysis of MA migrating from plastic cup samples, with recoveries of added MA in the range of 96.5-123.0%. Direct injection of the simulants into the GC system after migration tests, without any pretreatment step, makes the developed method of great value for rapid screening analysis of samples in bulks. PMID:27262371

The content of heavy metals in human hair may serve as an indicator of occupational or environmental exposure of metal compounds. However, before such exposure can be determined, the level of the element in a 'normal' population must be established. The concentration of uranium in human hair was measured by flow injection - inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (FIAS-ICPMS) after acid digestion of the hair samples. All hair samples were rinsed in order to remove external contamination prior to the digestion in a 2:1 solution of concentrated nitric acid and 30% hydrogen peroxide. The limit of detection of the method, for a 50 mg hair sample, was 0.015 μg/g, mainly due to the presence of impurities in the hydrogen peroxide. The range of uranium concentration in the initial test group was found to be 0.01-0.18 μg/g. The mean and median values of the entire study population were 0.062 and 0.050 μg U/g hair, respectively. Differences between the following sub-populations: male and female, smokers and non-smokers and people below and above 45 years of age were examined. The only statistically significant difference was found in the latter group (p=0.03). (author)

A procedure for quantitative determination of acetylsalicylic acid and acetaminophen in pharmaceuticals by PLS (partial least squares) and PCR (principal component regression) treatment of FT (Fourier transform)-Raman spectroscopic data is proposed. The proposed method was tested on powdered samples. Three chemometric models were built: the first, for samples consisting of an active substance diluted by lactose, starch and talc; the second, in which a simple inorganic salt was applied as an internal standard and additions were not taken into account; and the third, in which a model was constructed for a commercial pharmaceutical, where all constituents of the tablet were known. By utilising selected spectral ranges and by changing the chemometric conditions it is possible to carry out fast and precise analysis of the active component content in medicines on the basis of the simplified chemometric models. The proposed method was tested on five commercial tablets. The results were compared with data obtained by intensity ratio and pharmacopoeial methods. To appraise the quality of the models, the relative standard error of predictions (RSEPs) were calculated for calibration and prediction data sets. These were 0.7-2.0% and 0.8-2.3%, respectively, for the different PLS models. Application of these models to the Raman spectra of commercial tablets containing acetylsalicylic acid gave RSEP values of 1.3-2.0% and a mean accuracy of 1.2-1.7% with a standard deviation of 0.6-1.2%. PMID:11827382

Highlights: • The solubility of CO2 in PLA and the PVT behavior of PLA were investigated. • The solubility is directly proportional to pressure and inversely to temperature. • Molecular configuration of the molecular chains did not effect on the solubility. • The SS-EOS and the SL-EOS were used to determine theoretical solubility of CO2. • The SS-EOS was found to be closer to the experimental results. -- Abstract: The solubility of CO2 in polylactide acid (PLA) and the pressure–volume–temperature (PVT) behavior of PLA were investigated using a magnetic suspension balance (MSB) and an in-house visualization device. Experiments were carried out at temperatures ranging from (453 to 473) K, and the pressure was varied from (6.89 to 20.68) MPa. The results indicated that as the temperature increased, the swelling and the solubility decreased, whereas increased pressure produced increases in swelling and solubility. The D-lactic acid content (D-content) did not have a pronounced effect on the solubility of CO2 or on the swollen volume of the PLA/CO2 mixture. We compared the theoretical and experimental swelling volume ratios and used the Simha Somcynsky (SS) equation of state (EOS) and the Sanchez Lacombe (SL) EOS to obtain the theoretical data

This study sought to contribute to the assessment of the nutritional properties of legumes by determining the fatty acid (FA) composition of 29 legume samples after the evaluation of nine extraction methods. The Folch method and liquid-solid extraction with hexane/isopropanol or with hexane/acetone were investigated, as was the effect of previous hydration of samples. Soxhlet extractions were also evaluated with different solvent mixtures. Results on FA composition using the hexane/isopropanol extraction method were the same in terms of FA composition of the Folch method, but the extraction yield was only around 20-40% of that of the Folch method preceded by hydration. Some types of legumes showed particularly interesting values for the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) n-6/n-3, such as lentils, with the value of 4.0, and Azuki beans, at 3.2. In lentils, the PUFAs% ranged from 42.0% to 57.4%, while in Azuki beans it was 57.5%. PMID:26304436

Exchange reactions between metal (Cd, Zn, Co, Hg, etc.) dithizonates and diantipyrylmethane (DAM) salts in non-aqueous solutions have been examined. Metal ions forming stable thiocyanate or iodide complexes (Cd(SCN)/sub 4//sup 2 -/, CdI/sub 4//sup 2 -/) pass from the dithizonates to form anionic complexes and then ion pairs with protonated DAM. Addition of DAM salts to organic extracts is an effective method of decomposition of dithizonates and preconcentration of elements in a microphase formed due to extract separation into two phases. A combination of preconcentration of microelements in a three-phase system with atomic emission analysis makes it possible to determine a group of controlled micro elements in complex acid mine waters.

A monolithic ODS-silica gel column modified by saturating it with lithium dodecylsulfate (Li-DS) was used to demonstrate the high-speed separation of H+ from other mono- and divalent cations, such as Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ using ion chromatography (IC). Using a 5 mM EDTA-2K solution containing 0.10 mM Li-DS (pH 4.80) as eluent, H+ was eluted with a sharp and symmetrical peak within 1.0 min before other cations at a flow-rate of 1.5 ml min(-1). The rapid elution of H+ and its conductimetric detection could be attributed to the presence of EDTA (HY2-), which can convert H+ ions as anions. i.e. H(+) + H2Y(2-) --> H3Y(-). The acidity of rainwater and deionized water samples was determined using this IC system with satisfactory results. PMID:12830891

Exchange reactions between metal (Cd, Zn, Co, Hg, etc.) dithizonates and diantipyrylmethane (DAM) salts in non-aqueoUs solutions have been examined. Metal ions forming stable thiocyanate or iodide complexes (Cd(SCN)42-, CdI42-) pass from the dithizonates to form anionic complexes and then ion pairs with protonated DAM. Addition of DAM salts to organic extracts is an effective method of decomposition of dithizonates and preconcentration of elements in a microphase formed due to extract separation into two phases. A combination of preconcentration of microelements in a three-phase system with atomic emission analysis makes it possible to determine a group of controlled micro elements in complex acid mine waters

The formation of a yellow complex by the reaction between Ta(V) and 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulphonic acid (HQSA), has been studied spectrophotometrically in aqueous medium. At pH 6.5 the complex shows the maximum absorbance at 420 nm. The Beer's law is obeyed by the system within the concentration range of 1 mg to 6 mg per millilitre of Ta(V). The stoichiometry of the complex determined by the mole ratio and Job's method is 1:2 metal-ligand. The effect of ionic strength and temperature on chelate has been studied. The interference by various ions in the system and a probable structure of the complex are also suggested. (author)

A series of models based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been designed to estimate the thermophysical properties of different amino acid-based ionic liquids (AAILs). Three different databases of AAILs were modeled using these algorithms with the goal set to estimate the density, viscosity, refractive index, ionic conductivity, and thermal expansion coefficient, and requiring only data regarding temperature and electronic polarizability of the chemicals. Additionally, a global model was designed combining all of the databases to determine the robustness of the method. In general, the results were successful, reaching mean prediction errors below 1% in many cases, as well as a statistically reliable and accurate global model. Attaining these successful models is a relevant fact as AAILs are novel biodegradable and biocompatible compounds which may soon make their way into the health sector forming a part of useful biomedical applications. Therefore, understanding the behavior and being able to estimate their thermophysical properties becomes crucial. PMID:26899458

The qualitative and quantitative analyses of reactive oxygen species are essential to determine their steady-state concentration and related reaction mechanisms in environmental aquatic systems. In this study, salicylic acid was employed as an innovative molecular probe of hydroxyl radical(OH) generated in aqueous nitrate and nitrite solutions through photochemical reactions. Kinetic studies showed that the steady-state concentrations of OH in aqueous NO3-(10 mmol/L, pH = 5) and NO2- (10 mmol/L, pH = 5) solutions under ultraviolet irradiation were at a same magnitude, 10-15 mol/L. Apparent quantum yields of OH at 313 nm were measured as 0.011 and 0.07 for NO3- and NO2- respectively, all comparable to the results of previous studies.

Full Text Available A versatile strategy for electrochemical determination of glycoalkaloids (GAs was developed by using a carbon nanotubes-phenylboronic acid (CNTs-PBA modified glassy carbon electrode. PBA reacts with α-solanine and α-chaconine to form a cyclic ester, which could be utilized to detect GAs. This method allowed GA detection from 1 μM to 28 μM and the detection limit was 0.3 μM. Affinity interaction of GAs and immobilized PBA caused an essential change of the peak current. The CNT-PBA modified electrodes were sensitive for detection of GAs, and the peak current values were in quite good agreement with those measured by the sensors.

Full Text Available Following the work of Sharma et al. (1990 on the interference of ascorbic acid (AA with starch-iodine reaction, the present authors repeated it, giving a proper explanation of the influence of AA in this reaction. AA oxidizes iodine-iodide (I-KI reagent which makes impossible to form the blue complex with starch. Three measures are suggested to overcome the interference of AA: 1 to titrate starch solution with I-KI reagent and thus work out an I-KI amount for development of blue coloration, 2 to remove from plant material AA (and other reducing soluble substances by washing the material with cold water or ethanol, and 3 starch solution could be treated with alkali (pH about 9, which destroys AA in 15 minutes. After acidifying the solution and adding I-KI reagent the blue complex can be determined.

Full Text Available Vitamin C (ascorbic acid, ascorbate, AA is a water soluble organic compound that participates in many biological processes. The main aim of this paper was to utilize two electrochemical detectors (amperometric Ã¢Â€Â“ Coulouchem III and coulometric Ã¢Â€Â“ CoulArray coupled with flow injection analysis for the detection of ascorbic acid. Primarily, we optimized the experimental conditions. The optimized conditions were as follows: detector potential 100 mV, temperature 25 Ã‚Â°C, mobile phase 0.09% TFA:ACN, 3:97 (v/v and flow rate 0.13 mLÃ‚Â·min-1. The tangents of the calibration curves were 0.3788 for the coulometric method and 0.0136 for the amperometric one. The tangent of the calibration curve measured by the coulometric detector was almost 30 times higher than the tangent measured by the amperometric detector. Consequently, we coupled a CoulArray electrochemical detector with high performance liquid chromatography and estimated the detection limit for AA as 90 nM (450 fmol per 5 ÃŽÂ¼L injection. The method was used for the determination of vitamin C in a pharmaceutical preparations (98 Ã‚Â± 2 mg per tablet, in oranges (Citrus aurantium (varied from 30 to 56 mg/100 g fresh weight, in apples (Malus sp. (varied from 11 to 19 mg/100 g fresh weight, and in human blood serum (varied from 38 to 78 ÃŽÂ¼M. The recoveries were also determined.

In this study, a sample stacking step coupled with microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) was used to detect and analyze nine aromatic acids (benzoic acid (BA), isophthalic acid (IPA), terephthalic acid (TPA), p-toluic acid (p-TA), 4-carboxylbenzaldehyde (4-CBA), trimesic acid (TSA), trimellitic acid (TMA), o-phthalic acid (OPA), and hemimellitic acid (HMA)) which are common impurities produced during aromatic acid synthesis. First, the presence of both acid and water plugs at the front of the capillary improved the reproducibility in retention time and peak intensity of the tested analytes in the stacking method. Second, the pH and the electrolyte type of acidic plug and sample matrix were found to be the predominant influences on the aromatic acid stacking. The detection limits of these aromatic acids were reduced to the range of 0.00007-0.00032 microg mL(-1) by this optimal sample stacking step. This proposed on-line concentration MEEKC method was able to detect trace levels of aromatic acid impurities in commercial aromatic acid products that were not previously possible by the normal MEEKC method. Furthermore, these results in comparison with our previous studies on sample stacking MEEKC method indicated that all acidic species were concentrated by this simple stacking procedure. The sensitivity enhancement, however, was highly dependent on the types of functional groups present in the structures of analytes, and the enhancement was in the order of first the compounds carrying both carboxy and hydroxy groups (e.g. phenolic acid), followed by carboxylic acid compounds (e.g. aromatic acid), and then phenol compounds (e.g. polyphenol). PMID:19100895

Tissue docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) accretion in early infancy is supported by DHA in breast-milk and may thus decrease once complementary feeding takes over. Endogenous synthesis of DHA from alphalinolenic acid is low and polymorphisms in the genes that encodes the fatty acid desaturases (FADS) has...... been shown to have little effect on DHA-status in adults. It is unclear to what extent endogenous DHA-synthesis contributes to infant DHAstatus. We aim to investigate the role of diet and FADS-polymorphisms on DHA-status at 9 months and 3 years. Methods: This cross-sectional study with Danish infants...... use data from two prospective studies (EFiON and the SKOTcohort). We measured erythrocyte (RBC) DHA-status at 9 months (n=409) and 3 years (n=176) and genotyped 4 FADS tagSNPs, rs3834458, rs1535, rs174575 and rs174448 (n=401)....

Membrane-bound desaturases are physiologically and industrially important enzymes that are involved in the production of diverse fatty acids such as polyunsaturated fatty acids and their derivatives. Here, we identified amino acid residues that determine the substrate specificity of rat Δ6 desaturase (D6d) acting on linoleoyl-CoA by comparing its amino acid sequence with that of Δ5 desaturase (D5d), which converts dihomo-γ-linolenoyl-CoA. The N-terminal cytochrome b5-like domain was excluded as a determinant by domain swapping analysis. Substitution of eight amino acid residues (Ser209, Asn211, Arg216, Ser235, Leu236, Trp244, Gln245, and Val344) of D6d with the corresponding residues of D5d by site-directed mutagenesis switched the substrate specificity from linoleoyl-CoA to dihomo-γ-linolenoyl-CoA. In addition, replacement of Leu323 of D6d with Phe323 on the basis of the amino acid sequence of zebra fish Δ5/6 bifunctional desaturase was found to render D6d bifunctional. Homology modeling of D6d using recent crystal structure data of human stearoyl-CoA (Δ9) desaturase revealed that Arg216, Trp244, Gln245, and Leu323 are located near the substrate-binding pocket. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the structural basis of the substrate specificity of a mammalian front-end fatty acid desaturase, which will aid in efficient production of value-added fatty acids. PMID:26590171

Full Text Available The most accepted definition of biodiesel is stated at the EU technical regulation EN 14214 (2008 or in the USA in ASTM 6751-02. As a result of this highly strict description only methyl esters of fatty acids conform to these definitions, nevertheless the term ‘‘biodiesel’’ is spread out to other alkyl fatty esters. Some countries have adopted bioethanol for replacement of methanol in biodiesel transesterification and thus assuring a fully biological fuel. Of course, such position brings some problems in fulfilling technical requirements of EN 14214 or ASTM 6751-02. Biodiesel is actually a less complex mixture than petrodiesel, but different feedstock origins and the effect of seasonality may impose difficulties in fuel quality control. Since biodiesel is an alternative diesel fuel derived from the transesterification of triacylglycerol comprised materials, such as vegetable oils or animal fats, with simple alcohols to furnish the corresponding mono-alkyl esters, its composition depends on the raw material used, the cultivated area location, and harvest time. The choice of the raw material is usually the most important factor for fluctuations of biodiesel composition, because different vegetable oils and animal fats may contain different types of fatty acids. Important properties of this fuel vary significantly with the composition of the mixture. Cetane number, melting point, degree of saturation, density, cloud point, pour point, viscosity, and nitrogen oxides exhaust emission (NOx, for instance, deserve to be mentioned. One of the most important fuel quality indicators is the cetane number; however its experimental determination may be an expensive and lengthy task. To weaken situation concerning biodiesel, the availability of data in the literature is also scarce. In such scenario, the use of reliable models to predict the cetane number or any other essential characteristic may be of great utility. We reviewed available literature to

Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •Gold microelectrode array (Au/MEA) with electrode of 12 μm diameter was fabricated by photolithography technique. •Subsequently, polypyrrole (Ppy) modified gold microarrays sensor (Ppy/Au/MEA) was prepared. •Ppy/Au/MEA used for ascorbic aciddetermination in the presence of different neurotransmitters. •The micro array exhibited wide linear range, very high sensitivity and very low LOD than the earlier reports. •It was used successfully to test ascorbic acid in different types real samples. -- Abstract: In this study, gold microelectrode array (Au/MEA) with electrode of 12 μm diameter was fabricated by photolithography technique. Subsequently, polypyrrole (Ppy) modified gold microarrays sensor (Ppy/Au/MEA) was prepared by cyclic voltammetry technique. The deposition potential range and number of cycles were optimised in order to get optimum thickness of Ppy film. Scanning Electron Microscope and Atomic Force Microscope investigations reveal that Ppy coating formed at 3 cycles is porous with thickness of 1.5 μm which exhibiting high catalytic current for ascorbic acid (AA) in square wave technique (SWV). In contrast to earlier sensors designs, these Ppy/Au/MEA sensors exhibits lower detection limit (LOD) of 10 nm towards AA at physiological conditions. It also exhibits enhanced sensitivity (2.5 mA cm{sup −2} mM{sup −1}) and long range of linear detection limit from 10 nm to 2.8 mM. In the same way, polypyrrole modified macro Au (Ppy/Au/MA) biosensor was also fabricated and its electro catalytic property towards AA was compared with that of Ppy/Au/MEA. The Ppy/Au/MA exhibits sensitivity of only 0.27 mA cm{sup −2} mM{sup −1}, LOD of 5 μM and linear range of 10 μM to 2.2 mM. Hence, our investigations indicate that the Ppy/Au/MEA could serve as highly sensitive sensor for AA than any of the earlier designs. So, the Ppy/Au/MEA electrode was utilised for determination AA in a wide variety of real samples.

The oxidation pathways of methanol (MeOH) have been the subject of intense research due to its possible application as a liquid fuel in polyelectrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The design of improved catalysts for MeOH oxidation requires a deep understanding of these complex oxidation pathways. This paper will provide a discussion of the literature concerning the extensive research carried out in acidic and alkaline electrolytes. It will highlight techniques that have proven useful in the determination of product ratios, analysis of surface poisoning, anion adsorption, and oxide formation processes, in addition to the effects of temperature on the MeOH oxidation pathways at bulk polycrystalline platinum (Pt(poly)) electrodes. This discussion will provide a framework with which to begin the analysis of activation energy (E(a)) values. This kinetic parameter may prove useful in characterizing the rate-limiting step of the MeOH oxidation at an electrode surface. This paper will present a procedure for the determination of E(a) values for MeOH oxidation at a Pt(poly) electrode in acidic and alkaline media. Values from 24-76 kJ mol(-1) in acidic media and from 36-86 kJ mol(-1) in alkaline media were calculated and found to be a function of applied potential and direction of the potential sweep in a voltammetric experiment. Factors that influence the magnitude of the calculated E(a) include surface poisoning from MeOH oxidation intermediates, anion adsorption from the electrolyte, pH effects, and oxide formation processes. These factors are all potential, and temperature, dependent and must clearly be addressed when citing E(a) values in the literature. Comparison of E(a) values must be between systems of comparable electrochemical environment and at the same potential. E(a) values obtained on bulk Pt(poly), compared with other catalysts, may give insight into the superiority of other Pt-based catalysts for MeOH oxidation and lead to the development of new catalysts

Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •Gold microelectrode array (Au/MEA) with electrode of 12 μm diameter was fabricated by photolithography technique. •Subsequently, polypyrrole (Ppy) modified gold microarrays sensor (Ppy/Au/MEA) was prepared. •Ppy/Au/MEA used for ascorbic aciddetermination in the presence of different neurotransmitters. •The micro array exhibited wide linear range, very high sensitivity and very low LOD than the earlier reports. •It was used successfully to test ascorbic acid in different types real samples. -- Abstract: In this study, gold microelectrode array (Au/MEA) with electrode of 12 μm diameter was fabricated by photolithography technique. Subsequently, polypyrrole (Ppy) modified gold microarrays sensor (Ppy/Au/MEA) was prepared by cyclic voltammetry technique. The deposition potential range and number of cycles were optimised in order to get optimum thickness of Ppy film. Scanning Electron Microscope and Atomic Force Microscope investigations reveal that Ppy coating formed at 3 cycles is porous with thickness of 1.5 μm which exhibiting high catalytic current for ascorbic acid (AA) in square wave technique (SWV). In contrast to earlier sensors designs, these Ppy/Au/MEA sensors exhibits lower detection limit (LOD) of 10 nm towards AA at physiological conditions. It also exhibits enhanced sensitivity (2.5 mA cm−2 mM−1) and long range of linear detection limit from 10 nm to 2.8 mM. In the same way, polypyrrole modified macro Au (Ppy/Au/MA) biosensor was also fabricated and its electro catalytic property towards AA was compared with that of Ppy/Au/MEA. The Ppy/Au/MA exhibits sensitivity of only 0.27 mA cm−2 mM−1, LOD of 5 μM and linear range of 10 μM to 2.2 mM. Hence, our investigations indicate that the Ppy/Au/MEA could serve as highly sensitive sensor for AA than any of the earlier designs. So, the Ppy/Au/MEA electrode was utilised for determination AA in a wide variety of real samples

目的：建立两种食品中硬脂酸含量测定的方法,以了解食品中硬脂酸的含量,并对两种测定方法进行比较。方法样品经提取脂肪后进行甲酯化衍生,采用气相色谱法(GC)和气相色谱串联质谱法(GC-MS)进行定量分析。结果 GC法和GC-MS法分别在5~500 mg/L和0.05~1 mg/mL范围内线性良好,相关系数R2大于0.99。GC法通过扣除本底值的方法,在1.0、1.2和1.5 mg/kg三个添加浓度上回收率范围为77.6%~93.8%,相对标准偏差小于12%,方法检出限和定量限分别为3.3 mg/kg和10.0 mg/kg。GC-MS法在0.2、0.25和0.3 mg/kg三个添加浓度上回收率范围为83.8%~102.9%,相对标准偏差小于10%,方法检出限和定量限分别为0.06 mg/kg和0.2 mg/kg。两方法测定的结果经计算线性回归,相关系数为0.9949,两结果不存在显著差异。结论两种方法重复性好,灵敏度满足国内外对食品中硬脂酸的检测要求,可用于大量样品的定量分析。%Objective Two methods for the determination of stearic acid were developed in order to realize the content of stearic acid in foodstuffs.Methods Samples were determined by Gas Chromatography and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry after extracting the fat and methyl esterfying.Results The method of GC showed the recoveries of stearic acid were between 77.6% and 93.8% with the relative standard deviations (RSDs) less than 12% at three spiked levels of 1.0, 1.2 and 1.5 mg/kg. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 3.3 mg/kg and 10.0 mg/kg respectively. The method of GC-MS showed the recoveries of stearic acid were between 83.8% and 102.9% with RSDs less than 10% at three spiked levels of 0.2, 0.25 and 0.3 mg/kg. The LOD and the LOQ were 0.06 mg/kg and 0.2 mg/kg. The correlation coefficient was 0.9949 through regression test to the results of the two methods. Therefore, there was no significant difference between the two results.Conclusion The repeatability and

The positive role of fatty acids in the prevention and alleviation of non-human and human diseases have been and continue to be extensively documented. These roles include influences on infectious and non-infectious diseases including prevention of inflammation as well as mucosal immunity to infectious diseases. Cholera is an acute intestinal illness caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It occurs in developing nations and if left untreated, can result in death. While vaccines for cholera exist, they are not always effective and other preventative methods are needed. We set out to determine tolerable concentrations of three fatty acids (oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids) and cholera toxin using mouse BALB/C macrophages and human intestinal epithelial cells, respectively. We solubilized the above fatty acids and used cell proliferation assays to determine the concentration ranges and specific concentrations of the fatty acids that are not detrimental to human intestinal epithelial cell viability. We solubilized cholera toxin and used it in an assay to determine the concentration ranges and specific concentrations of cholera toxin that do not statistically decrease cell viability in BALB/C macrophages. We found the optimum fatty acid concentrations to be between 1-5 ng/μl, and that for cholera toxin to be < 30 ng per treatment. This data may aid future studies that aim to find a protective mucosal role for fatty acids in prevention or alleviation of cholera infections. PMID:23748896

This paper deals with the study of digestion and leaching process effectiveness in thorium minerals processing, and determining the optimum process conditions for acidic leaching of thorium- uranium ores in Zarigan region to dissolve thorium. To do this, some samples from Zarigan region were studied mineralogically in laboratory. The sample containing minerals such as Anorthite, Quartz, Sanidine, Vermiculite, Albite, Gypsum, Muscovite, Anatase and Magnetite were ground in specified dimensions and then mixed with concentrated sulfuric acid. Then the mixture was heated to a high temperature. After diluting the mixture with water, it was dissolved by means of agitation leaching. The effects of different parameters such as particle size, temperature and time of digestion, concentration of sulfuric acid, and acid to ore ratio, with the aim of determining their optimum value, were studied which resulted in the following optimum values for the above-mentioned parameters: particle size of 250 μm, temperature of 180degreeC, time of 5h, concentration of sulfuric acid of 10.8 mol/lit, and acid to ore ratio of 3. Under these conditions, maximum recovery of thorium was 92%. Nitric acid (oxidant) concentration effect on the recovery of thorium in the optimum conditions was studied, and for the 2M of nitric acid concentration, thorium recovery of 97% was obtained.

The efficiency of acid mixtures, HNO3 - HCI04 -HF, HNO3 - HCI - HF, HNO3 - HCIO4 and HNO3 - HCI in the decomposition of four edible green vegetables, Gboma (Solanum macrocarpon), Aleefu (Amaranttius hibiridus), Shoeley (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and Ademe (Corchorus olitorius), for flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer analysis of Fe, Mn, Mg, Cu, Zn and Ca was studied. The concentrations of Fe were higher (120.61 -710.10 mg/kg), while the values of Cu were lower (2.31 - 4.84 mg/kg) in all the samples. The values of concentration for Fe were more reproducible when HF was included in the decomposition mixtures. There were no significant differences in the concentrations of the other elements when HF was included in the acid mixture as compared to the acid mixtures without HF. Therefore, the inclusion of HF in the acid decomposition mixtures would ensure total and precise estimation of Fe in plant materials, but not critical for analysis of Mn, Mg, Cu, Zn and Ca. Performance of the decomposition procedures was verified by applying the methods to analyse Standard Reference Material IAEA-V-10 Hay Powder. (au)

). Information about breastfeeding was obtained by questionnaires and fish intake was assessed by 7-day pre-coded food diaries. Results: FADS-genotype, breastfeeding, and fish intake were found to explain 25% of the variation in infant RBC DHA-status (mean±SD: 6.6±1.9% of the fatty acids (FA%)). Breastfeeding...

This European standard aims at determining the ester and methylic ester content of fatty acids methylic esters (FAME) used as pure bio-fuels or as constituent of a heating or diesel fuel. This method allows also to determine the methylic ester content of linoleic acid. It allows to verify that the ester content of FAMEs is greater than 90% (m/m) and that the linoleic acid content is comprised between 1% (m/m) and 15% (m/m). The method is applicable to FAMEs with methylic ester contents comprised between C14 and C24. (J.S.)

The millimeter-wave spectrum of hydrazoic acid (HN3) was analyzed in the frequency region of 235-450 GHz. Transitions from a total of 14 isotopologues were observed and fit using the A-reduced or S-reduced Hamiltonian. Coupled-cluster calculations were performed to obtain a theoretical geometry, as well as rotation-vibration interaction corrections. These calculated vibration-rotation correction terms were applied to the experimental rotational constants to obtain mixed theoretical/experimental equilibrium rotational constants (Ae, Be, and Ce). These equilibrium rotational constants were then used to obtain an equilibrium (Re) structure using a least-squares fitting routine. The Re structural parameters are consistent with a previously published Rs structure, largely falling within the uncertainty limits of that Rs structure. The present Re geometric parameters of HN3 are determined with exceptionally high accuracy, as a consequence of the large number of isotopologues measured experimentally and the sophisticated (coupled-cluster theoretical treatment (CCSD(T))/ANO2) of the vibration-rotation interactions. The Re structure exhibits remarkable agreement with the CCSD(T)/cc-pCV5Z predicted structure, validating both the accuracy of the ab initio method and the claimed uncertainties of the theoretical/experimental structure determination. PMID:26374038

Standard reference materials (SRMs) are homogeneous, well-characterized materials used to validate measurements and improve the quality of analytical data. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a wide range of SRMs that have mass fraction values assigned for legacy pollutants. These SRMs can also serve as test materials for method development, method validation, and measurement for contaminants of emerging concern. Because inter-laboratory comparison studies have revealed substantial variability of measurements of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), future analytical measurements will benefit from determination of consensus values for PFAAs in SRMs to provide a means to demonstrate method-specific performance. To that end, NIST, in collaboration with other groups, has been measuring concentrations of PFAAs in a variety of SRMs. Here we report levels of PFAAs and perfluorooctane sulfonamide (PFOSA) determined in four biological SRMs: fish tissue (SRM 1946 Lake Superior Fish Tissue, SRM 1947 Lake Michigan Fish Tissue), bovine liver (SRM 1577c), and mussel tissue (SRM 2974a). We also report concentrations for three in-house quality-control materials: beluga whale liver, pygmy sperm whale liver, and white-sided dolphin liver. Measurements in SRMs show an array of PFAAs, with perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) being the most frequently detected. Reference and information values are reported for PFAAs measured in these biological SRMs. PMID:22476786

A simple approach for the preparation of gelatin functionalized reduced graphene oxide nanosheet (Gel-RGONS) by chemical reduction of graphene oxide (GO) using gelatin as both reducing agent and stabilizing agent in an aqueous solution was developed. The morphology and structure of the Gel-RGONS were examined by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Gelatin acted as a functionalizing reagent to guarantee good dispersibility and stability of the r in distilled water. Moreover, a new electrochemical sensor was developed based on Gel-RGONS modified glassy carbon electrode (Gel-RGONS/GCE). Gel-r exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity to gallic acid (GA) oxidation. The experimental conditions such as pH, adsorption time and scan rate were optimized for the determination of GA. Under optimum conditions, the sensor responded linearly to GA in the concentration of 1.0 × 10−6 to 1.1 × 10−4 M with detection limit of 4.7 × 10−7 M at 3 using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). The method has been successfully applied to the determination of GA in sample of black tea.

The millimeter-wave spectrum of hydrazoic acid (HN{sub 3}) was analyzed in the frequency region of 235-450 GHz. Transitions from a total of 14 isotopologues were observed and fit using the A-reduced or S-reduced Hamiltonian. Coupled-cluster calculations were performed to obtain a theoretical geometry, as well as rotation-vibration interaction corrections. These calculated vibration-rotation correction terms were applied to the experimental rotational constants to obtain mixed theoretical/experimental equilibrium rotational constants (A{sub e}, B{sub e}, and C{sub e}). These equilibrium rotational constants were then used to obtain an equilibrium (R{sub e}) structure using a least-squares fitting routine. The R{sub e} structural parameters are consistent with a previously published R{sub s} structure, largely falling within the uncertainty limits of that R{sub s} structure. The present R{sub e} geometric parameters of HN{sub 3} are determined with exceptionally high accuracy, as a consequence of the large number of isotopologues measured experimentally and the sophisticated (coupled-cluster theoretical treatment (CCSD(T))/ANO2) of the vibration-rotation interactions. The R{sub e} structure exhibits remarkable agreement with the CCSD(T)/cc-pCV5Z predicted structure, validating both the accuracy of the ab initio method and the claimed uncertainties of the theoretical/experimental structure determination.

The millimeter-wave spectrum of hydrazoic acid (HN3) was analyzed in the frequency region of 235-450 GHz. Transitions from a total of 14 isotopologues were observed and fit using the A-reduced or S-reduced Hamiltonian. Coupled-cluster calculations were performed to obtain a theoretical geometry, as well as rotation-vibration interaction corrections. These calculated vibration-rotation correction terms were applied to the experimental rotational constants to obtain mixed theoretical/experimental equilibrium rotational constants (Ae, Be, and Ce). These equilibrium rotational constants were then used to obtain an equilibrium (Re) structure using a least-squares fitting routine. The Re structural parameters are consistent with a previously published Rs structure, largely falling within the uncertainty limits of that Rs structure. The present Re geometric parameters of HN3 are determined with exceptionally high accuracy, as a consequence of the large number of isotopologues measured experimentally and the sophisticated (coupled-cluster theoretical treatment (CCSD(T))/ANO2) of the vibration-rotation interactions. The Re structure exhibits remarkable agreement with the CCSD(T)/cc-pCV5Z predicted structure, validating both the accuracy of the ab initio method and the claimed uncertainties of the theoretical/experimental structure determination

Full Text Available In this work the determination of ascorbic acid (AA at glassy carbon electrode (GCE modified with a perforated film produced by reduction of diazonium generated in situ from p-phenylenediamine (PD is reported. Holes were intentionally created in the modifier film by stripping a pre-deposited gold nanoparticles. The modified electrodes were electrochemically characterized by common redox probes: hydroquinone, ferrocyanide and hexamineruthenium(III. The cyclic voltammetric and amperometric response of AA using the modified electrodes was compared with that of bare GCE. The bare GCE showed a linear response to AA in the concentration range of 5 mM to 45 mM with detection limit of 1.656 mM and the modified GCE showed a linear response to AA in the concentration range of 5 μM to 45 μM with detection limit of 0.123 μM. The effect of potential intereferents on amperometric signal of AA at the modified GCE was examined and found to be minimal. The inter-electrode reproducibility, stability, and accuracy were determined. The modified electrode showed excellent inter-electrode reproducibility, accuracy and stability. The modified electrode reported is a promising candidate for use in electroanalysis of AA.

A reliable gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method was developed for the determination of 14 phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in imitation jewellery. The influences of sample pretreatment methods including microwave extraction, ultrasonic extraction, accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and Soxhlet extraction on the determination of PAEs were investigated. The migration risk of dibutyl phthalate (DBP), bis(2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dioctyl phthalate (DOP) in plastic imitation jewellery was investigated under the simulated body temperature and sweat environment within 0 h to 168 h. The results showed that the target compounds can be effectively extracted with hexane-acetone (1:1, v/v) under microwave extraction for 35 min. The limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method was 5 mg/kg for 12 PAEs (25 mg/kg for diisononyl phthalate (DINP) and diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP)). The calibration curves were linear within 0.1-50 mg/L (0.5-250 mg/L for DINP and DIDP) with the correlation coefficients above 0.99. The recoveries ranged from 90.95% to 98.67% at three spiked levels. The migration risk of DEHP was higher than DBP and DOP with 0.75% dissolved after soaking for 72 h under the simulated conditions. The sensitivity, recovery and selectivity of the method can meet the requirements of the practical work. PMID:23189657

Full Text Available A simple, sensitive and reproducible HPLC method is presented for determination of mycophenolic acid(MPA in human plasma. Samples were prepared after precipitation of the plasma protein by addition of acetonitrile and naproxen was used as internal standard (I.S.. Separation was performed by reversedphase HPLC, using a Hamilton PRP-C18 Column, 51% acetonitrile and 49% potassium phosphate buffer (20 mM at pH 3.0 as mobile phase, flow rate of 1.0 ml/min, and UV detection at 215 nm. MPA and I.S. had retention times of 7.5 and 11.35 min, respectively. The method showed an acceptable linearity in the range of 0.1µg/ml-40µg/ml with r2 of .9992. The concentration of 0.1µg/ml was determined as quantification limit. Mean absolute recovery was 94.8%. The mean intra- and inter-day reproducibility of method was 4.6 and 11.4% respectively.

A simple,fast,sensitive,highly selective and eco-friendly analytical method for the determination of catecholamines in human urine by ion chromatography (IC) with chemiluminescence (CL) detection was described in this paper.Using 12 mmoi/L H2SO4 without any organic additive as eluent,three catecholamines including epinephrine (EP),norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA)were well separated on a cation-exchange column.The CL detection was based on the reaction of analytes with acidic potassium permanganate in the presence of formaldehyde as an enhancer.The absence of methanol and acetonitrile in eluent made the proposed method more sensitive and eco-friendly.Under the optimal conditions,the linear range of the proposed method was in the range of 0.02-0.5 μg/mL.The limit of detection (LOD) was in the range of 0.6 and 5.1 μg/L.The relative standard deviations (RSD) for 0.1 μg/mL mixed standard solution were in the range of 0.8-1.9％ (n =11).The method has been applied to the determination of catecholamines in human urine successfully.Excellent spiked recoveries were achieved for catecholamines ranged from 91.2％ to 112.7％.

A flow injection potentiometric procedure is proposed for determining bismuth(III) in anti-acid formulations. In this work, a tubular electrode coated with an ion-pair formed between [Bi(EDTA)](-) and tricaprylylmethylammonium cation (Aliquat 336) in a poly(vinylchloride) (PVC) was constructed and used in a single channel flow injection system. The effect of membrane composition, pH and flow injection parameter over the Bi(III) tubular electrode response (slope (mV/decade)) was initially evaluated in quintuplicate in 0.5 mol l(-1) EDTA solution as carrier. The best response (-59.6+/-0.9 mV/decade) was attained with the 5% m/m ion-pair; 65% m/m o-nitrophenyl octyl ether (o-NPOE) and 30% m/m PVC in pH 6-9. The electrode showed a linear response to E (mV) versus log [Bi(EDTA)](-) in the bismuth(III) concentration range from 2.0x10(-5) to 1.0x10(-2) mol l(-1) and a useful lifetime of at least 5 months (more than 1000 determinations for each polymeric membrane). The detection limit was 1.2x10(-5) mol l(-1) and the R.S.D. was less than 2.0% for a solution containing 5.0x10(-4) mol l(-1) bismuth(III) (n=10). Several species such as Cd(II), Mn(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Mg(II), Cr(III) and Al(III) at 1.0x10(-3) mol l(-1) concentration in 0.5 mol l(-1) EDTA solution did not cause any interference. The frequency rate was 90 determinations per hour and the results obtained for bismuth(III) in anti-acid formulations using this flow procedure and those obtained using a spectrophotometric procedure are in agreement at the 95% confidence level. PMID:11397573

We have developed a simple and sensitive colorimetric procedure for the quantification of trace amounts of uric acid. It is based on the finding that uric acid in a medium containing ammonia and sodium hydroxide at 650 C can reduce silver ions to form yellow silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). These are stabilized in solution by using poly(vinyl alcohol) as a capping agent. The yellow color of the solution that results from the localized surface plasmon resonance of Ag NPs can be observed by the bare eye. The absorbance at 415 nm is proportional to the concentration of uric acid which therefore can be determined quantitatively. The calibration curve is linear in the concentration range from 10 to 200 nM, with a limit of detection of 3.3 nM. The method was successfully applied to the determination of uric acid in human plasma and urine samples. (author)

Graphical abstract: An electrochemical sensor based on PAR/EGR/GCE via a cooperation of the potentiostatic technique and cyclic voltammetry was first fabricated for the determination of CPFX with satisfied detecting result of real samples. - Highlights: • PAR/EGR composite film was prepared for the first time. • The sensor can be applied to determinate CPFX in the presence of AA, UA and DA. • The sensor indicated the feasibility in drug samples and biological media. - Abstract: A glassy carbon electrode modified with poly(alizarin red)/electrodeposited graphene (PAR/EGR) composite film was prepared and applied to detect ciprofloxacin (CPFX) in the presence of ascorbic, uric acid and dopamine. The morphology and interface property of PAR/EGR films were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The electrocatalytic oxidation of CPFX on AR/EGR was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The linearity ranged from 4 × 10{sup −8} to 1.2 × 10{sup −4} M with a detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.01 μM. The modified electrode could be applied to the individual determination of CPFX as well as the simultaneous determination of CPFX, ascorbic acid, uric acid and dopamine. This method proved to be a simple, selective and rapid way to determine CPFX in pharmaceutical preparation and biological media.

Graphical abstract: An electrochemical sensor based on PAR/EGR/GCE via a cooperation of the potentiostatic technique and cyclic voltammetry was first fabricated for the determination of CPFX with satisfied detecting result of real samples. - Highlights: • PAR/EGR composite film was prepared for the first time. • The sensor can be applied to determinate CPFX in the presence of AA, UA and DA. • The sensor indicated the feasibility in drug samples and biological media. - Abstract: A glassy carbon electrode modified with poly(alizarin red)/electrodeposited graphene (PAR/EGR) composite film was prepared and applied to detect ciprofloxacin (CPFX) in the presence of ascorbic, uric acid and dopamine. The morphology and interface property of PAR/EGR films were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The electrocatalytic oxidation of CPFX on AR/EGR was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The linearity ranged from 4 × 10−8 to 1.2 × 10−4 M with a detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.01 μM. The modified electrode could be applied to the individual determination of CPFX as well as the simultaneous determination of CPFX, ascorbic acid, uric acid and dopamine. This method proved to be a simple, selective and rapid way to determine CPFX in pharmaceutical preparation and biological media

Full Text Available The present study offers results of analysis concerning the course of reaction between reduced α-lipoic acid (LA and 2-chloro-1-methylquinolinium tetrafluoroborate (CMQT. In water environments, the reaction between CMQT and hydrophilic thiols proceeds very rapidly and the resultant products are stable. For the described analysis, optimum reaction conditions, such as concentration of the reducing agent, environment pH, and concentration of the reagent were carefully selected. The spectrophotometric assay was carried out measuring absorbance at λ=348 nm (i.e., the spectral band of the obtained reaction product. Furthermore, the calibration curve of lipoic acid was registered. It was concluded that the Lambert-Beer law was observed within the range 1–10 μmol L−1. Later, the reaction between LA and CMQT was used as precolumn derivatization in a chromatographic determination of the lipoic acid in the range 2.5–50 μmol L−1. Practical applicability of the designed methods was evaluated by determining lipoic acid in Revitanerv pharmaceutical preparation which contains 300 mg LA in a single capsule. The error of the determination did not exceed 0.5% in relation to the declared value.

Titration acidity and content of total tannins in mass-market red wines are analyzed in this paper. The content of total acids in wine, expressed through wine acid, was analyzed by potentiometric titration on 7.00 pH value. According to titratable acidity in analyzed wines, all wines (only) with analyzed parameters according to Regulations about wine quality. The analysis of differential potentiometric curves shows that these curves can give the answer to the question if non organic substance...

Hypericum perforatum is a medicinal plant which has been known in traditional medicine as an antiinflammatory and healing agent. Nowadays the use of Hypericum extracts is concerned mainly with antidepressive applications. In the present work, HPLC – RP- C18 column chromatography with photodiode array detection was applied for the determination of the derivatives of cinnamic and benzoic acid (e.g., caffeic, chlorogenic, ferulic, sinapic, gallic acids) (Fig.1.) and flavonols - quercetine deriva...

Full Text Available A high performance lipuid chromatographic method for the determination of urinary trichloroacetic acid, a metabolite of trichloroethylene, is described. A stainless steel column packed with Hitachi gel 2618 (H form was used and the mobile phase was one per cent aqueous phosphoric acid. Urine can be analyzed directly without any solvent extraction or pretreatment. The minimal detection limit was 0.5 micrograms per analysis. The present method is simple and specific, and can be performed within 10 min.

The calculated method of determining constants of dissociation complex acids of a number of metals (cobalt, copper, zinc and cadmium) in TBP on the basis of known values of element distribution coefficients and degrees of formation of extractive complexes in aqeuous solutions of hydrochloric acid at 25 deg C is suggested. The results of calculations are presented in a table. For H/sub 2/CdCl/sub 4/ the dissociation constant is (10sup(3)Ksub(D)=1.3).

An LC method was developed for the determination of phytic acid in food. The separation was carried out by gradient elution on an anion-exchange column using a conductivity detector. Earlier reversed-phase LC procedures for the quantitation of phytic acid usually required a prepurification step. The prepurification can be avoided by the separation method described in this paper. The method is sensitive and selective, and can be rapidly and easily performed. It is therefore suitable for routin...

A hierarchical nanoporous PtCu alloy was fabricated by two-step dealloying of a PtCuAl precursor alloy followed by annealing. The new alloy possesses interconnected hierarchical network architecture with bimodal distributions of ligaments and pores. It exhibits high electrochemical activity towards the oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA), and uric acid (UA) at working potentials of 0.32, 0.47 and 0.61 V (vs. a mercury sulfate reference electrode), respectively. The new alloy was placed on a glassy carbon electrode and then displayed a wide linear response to AA, DA, and UA in the concentration ranges from 25 to 800 μM, 4 to 20 μM, and 10 to 70 μM, respectively. The lower detection limits are 17.5 μM, 2.8 µM and 5.7 μM at an S/N ratio of 3. (author)

Individual and simultaneous determination of 50nM uric acid (UA) and ascorbic acid (AA) using enlarged, citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) self-assembled to 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (DMT) monolayer modified Au (Au/DMT) electrode by an amperometric method is described for the first time. Self-assembly of AuNPs on the electrode surface was confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), attenuated total reflectance FT-IR and diffuse reflectance spectral measurements. The electron transfer reaction (ETR) of [Fe(CN)(6)](3-/4-) was blocked at Au/DMT electrode, whereas it was restored with a peak separation of 200mV after the attachment of AuNPs on the Au/DMT (Au/DMT/AuNPs) electrode, which was confirmed from the ETR of the [Fe(CN)(6)](3-/4-) redox couple. When the self-assembled AuNPs were enlarged by hydroxylamine seeding, the ETR of [Fe(CN)(6)](3-/4-) was improved significantly with a peak separation of 100mV. Tapping mode AFM showed that the average size of the enlarged-AuNPs (E-AuNPs) was 50-70nm. The E-AuNPs modified electrode catalyzes the oxidation of AA and UA, separates their voltammetric signals by 200mV, and has excellent sensitivity towards AA and UA with a detection limit of 50nM. The practical application of the modified electrode was demonstrated by measuring the concentration of UA in blood serum and urine. PMID:19111516

Analogues of the Alternaria mycotoxin tenuazonic acid (TA, biosynthesized by the fungus from the amino acid isoleucine) derived from valine (ValTA), leucine (LeuTA), alanine (AlaTA) and phenylalanine (PheTA) were synthesized and characterized by mass spectrometry (MS) and (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Concentrations of stock solutions were determined by quantitative (1)H NMR (qHNMR). Two analytical methods based on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and MS detection were developed, one with derivatization with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) and one without derivatization. Limits of detection (LODs) were between 1-3 μg/kg (with derivatization) and 50-80 μg/kg (without derivatization). Respective limits of quantitation (LOQs) were about three times higher. Beside TA, the analogues LeuTA (about 4% of TA content) and ValTA (about 10% of TA content) were found in highly contaminated sorghum infant cereals and sorghum grains. Other analogues were not detected. Quantification of LeuTA and ValTA was performed using [(13)C6,(15)N]-TA as internal standard and matrix matched calibration. Recovery was between 95±11% and 102±10% for both compounds. Precision (relative standard deviation of triplicate sorghum cereal analyses three times during 3 weeks) was 7% for TA (912±60 μg/kg), 17% for LeuTA (43±8 μg/kg) and 19% for ValTA (118±22 μg/kg). These results indicate that several TA-like compounds, which are not yet characterized in aspects of their toxic properties, were detected in sorghum based infant food highly contaminated with TA, already. PMID:23578482

A simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method for simultaneous determination of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), sorbic acid, and diclofenac sodium was developed and validated. Separation was achieved on a C(18) column (10 cm×4.6 mm) using gradient elution. The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-ammonium dihydrogen phosphate buffer solution (0.01 M, pH=2.5, containing 0.8% tetra-n-butyl ammonium hydroxide). The detector wavelength was set at 254 nm. Under these conditions, separation of three compounds was achieved in less than 10 min. The effect of two metal salts and metal concentration on peak area of EDTA was investigated. The pH effect on retention of EDTA and sorbic acid was studied. The method showed linearity for EDTA, sorbic acid, and diclofenac in the ranges of 2.5-100.0, 5.0-200.0, and 20.0-120.0 μg/mL, respectively. The within- and between-day relative standard deviations ranged from 0.52 to 1.94%, 0.50 to 1.34%, and 0.78 to 1.67% for EDTA, sorbic acid, and diclofenac, respectively. The recovery of EDTA, sorbic acid, and diclofenac from pharmaceutical preparation ranged from 96.0-102.0%, 99.7-101.5%, to 97.0-102.5%, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report about simultaneous determination of EDTA, sorbic acid, and diclofenac. PMID:23585291

D-004 is a new active ingredient obtained from the Cuban royal palm (Roystonea regia) fruits. This substance is mainly composed by a mixture of saturated and unsaturated free fatty acids, from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and has shown to be effective in experimental model of prostate hyperplasia. A capillary gas chromatographic method for the determination of the fatty acids in D-004 was developed and validated. The acids were analyzed as methyl ester derivatives, which were obtained by reaction with 10 % acetyl chloride in methanol and separated in a BPX-5 wide-bore column using tridecanoic acid as internal standard. The specificity study showed no interferences regarding the determination of this mixture, once the samples were submitted to stress conditions. Determination of the total fatty acid content was linear (r > 0.999; CVs of the response factors and of the slopes lower than 5 and 2 %, respectively) and without bias in the studied concentration range, from 50 to 150 % of the nominal mass. In the accuracy study, over the range 80 to 120 % of the nominal fatty acid concentration, high recoveries (100.4 to 100.8 %) were reached. Good results were obtained in the repeatability and intermediate precision studies (CV < 2%), proving that the method is precise. These results support that this method is properly validated, being appropriate for the quality control and stability studies of this active ingredient

Several studies have described the determination of selenium in protein extracts from tissues of marine or terrestrial animals, but have not identified the different chemical forms of selenium that are present. Selenium may be present as seleno-amino acids. Selenocysteine, for example, is a normal component of glutathione peroxidase, an antioxidant enzyme which may behave like other antioxidants, such as vitamin E, protecting tissues against methylmercury toxicity. The present study illustrates a method for the characterization of seleno-amino acids, such as selenocysteine and selenomethionine, in proteins extracted from the liver of marine mammals. The mechanism of detoxification of methylmercury, which involves seleno-compounds, is identified. The analytical determination was carried out using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-IPAD). This method allows the direct determination of underivatized amino acids, eliminating the procedure of pre- or postcolumn derivatization. The chromatographic separation was carried out on an anion-exchange column using a quaternary gradient elution. In order to optimize this method, interferences of amino acids and the influence of pH and ionic strength on the separation and electrochemical detection were studied. The IPAD response for the direct detection of amino acids is optimum at pH > 11. The detection limit (S/N = 3) for selenocysteine was found to be 450 micrograms/l. The application of this method for the identification of seleno-amino acids in protein hydrolysates is also shown. PMID:7640774

Increased use of humic substances in agriculture has generated intense interest among producers, consumers, and regulators for an accurate and reliable method for quantification of humic (HA) and fulvic acids (FA) in raw ores and products. Here we present a thoroughly validated method, the Humic Pro...

A method for the determination of 35 acid herbicides in food matrices was developed, validated, and implemented. It utilizes a modified QuEChERS extraction procedure coupled with quantitation by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The acid herbicides analyzed are all organic carboxylic acids, including the older chlorophenoxy acid herbicides such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), dicamba, 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (4-CPA), quinclorac, and many of the newer imidazolinone herbicides such as imazethapyr and imazaquin. In the procedure, 10 mL of water is added to 5 g of sample and then extracted with 1% formic acid in acetonitrile for 1 min. The acetonitrile phase is salted out of the extract by adding sodium chloride and magnesium sulfate, followed by centrifugation. The acetonitrile is diluted 1:1 with water to enable quantitation by LC-MS/MS using fast switching between positive and negative electrospray ionization modes. The average recoveries for all the compounds except aminocyclopyrachlor were 95% with a precision of 8%. The method detection limits for all residues were less than 10 ng/g, and the correlation coefficients for the calibration curves was greater than 0.99 for all but two compounds tested. The method was used successfully for the quantitation of acid herbicides in the FDA's total diet study. The procedure proved to be accurate, precise, linear, sensitive, and rugged. PMID:26473587

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) separation method with photo-diode array detection has been developed for the simultaneous determination of organic acids and phenolic compounds in juices and drinks. The chromatographic analysis of organic acids and phenolic compounds was carried out after their elution with sulphuric acid solution (pH 2.5) and methanol from C18 stationary phase. The mobile phase employed was sulphuric acid solution working at a flow-rate of 0.35 ml min(-1) for the whole run, while methanol was linearly increased to 0.45 ml min(-1) from 15 to 75 min followed by a 5-min isocratic elution. Ten organic acidacids were eluted in 30 min and 21 phenolic compounds, which include phenolic acids and flavonoids, were eluted in the following 50 min. Target compounds were detected at 215 nm. The repeatability (n=3) and between day precision of peak area (n=3) were all within 5.0% RSD. The within-day repeatability (n=3) and between-day precision (n=10) of retention times were within 0.3 and 1.6% relative standard deviation (RSD), respectively. The accuracy of the method was confirmed with an average recovery ranging between 85 and 106%. The method was successfully used to measure a variety of organic acids and phenolic compounds in juices and beverages. This method could also be used to evaluate the authenticity, spoilage or micronutrient contents of juices. PMID:12456098

Full Text Available The total vitamin C content in human plasma is widely accepted as an indicator of the tissue status of vitamin C. A liquid chromatography method with ultraviolet detector (264 nm for measuring ascorbic acid in human plasma was developed. A C18 reversed-phase column and cetrimide as an ion-pairing agent was employed. Ascorbic acid (AA was measured after reducing L-dehydroascorbic acid to L-ascorbic acid with dithiothreitol. The stability of the ascorbic acid in plasma, metaphosphoric acid and trichloroacetic acid was also evaluated. The analytical parameters, including linearity (1-60 µg/ml, accuracy (98.98%, repeatability (2.8% and reproducibility (7.2%, showed that the method is reliable for measuring the total vitamin C content in plasma.

The interference of aluminium during the voltammetric determination of uranium with 2,5-dichloro-3,6-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone (chloranilic acid) has been investigated. The presence of aluminium originates a voltammetric signal due to its chloranilic acid complex at the same potential range as the uranium analytical signal appears. The interference of aluminium can be overcome by addition of an appropriate amount of sodium fluoride as complexing reagent. The determination of uranium by adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) can be carried out at concentration levels as low as 1 μg/L in the presence of 100 μg/L aluminium after the addition of 100μL of 0.1 mol/L NaF. The method can be applied to the determination of uranium in aluminium-containing waters and geological samples containing high aluminium levels. (Author) 19 refs

This work reports an experimental method that allows to estimate the heat transfer coefficients in the neighborhood of walls or flat plates subject to convective transport phenomena. This method can be applied to a great variety of thermal systems since it is based on the knowledge of the border condition for the temperature at the surface of the plate, and the temperature profile that characterize the dimensionless coefficient of heat transfer in the fluid, according to its definition given by the Nusselt number. The approach of this work are the foundations of the method and the system that has been developed to apply it, that incorporates automatic acquisition equipment for continuos monitoring of the information and elements to control the parameters of interest. In addition, the experimental cavities on which the method will be evaluated are discussed, considering two different scales, as well as experiments in cavities filled with air, and with a mixture of air and steam water, as is the case for solar distillation. [Spanish] En este trabajo se presenta un metodo que permite determinar de manera experimental coeficientes de transferencia de calor por conveccion. Este metodo puede ser aplicado a una gran variedad de sistemas termicos ya que se fundamenta en el conocimiento de la condicion de frontera para la temperatura en la superficie de la placa, y del perfil de temperaturas que caracteriza el coeficiente adimensional de transferencia de calor en el fluido, de acuerdo a la definicion de este, dada por el numero de Nusselt. El trabajo que aqui se reporta esta enfocado a la fundamentacion del metodo y al equipamiento que se ha desarrollado para instrumentarlo, que incorpora equipos automaticos de adquisicion continua de informacion y elementos de control para los parametros de interes. Se presentan ademas, las cavidades experimentales sobre las que sera evaluado el metodo, que considera dos escalas diferentes, asi como experimentos en cavidades llenas de aire

One focus of this work was to develop of an alternative method to conductivity for determining the acid ionization constants. Computer-controlled osmometry is one of the emerging analytical tools in industrial research and clinical laboratories. It is slowly finding its way into chemistry laboratories. The instrument's microprocessor control ensures shortened data collection time, repeatability, accuracy, and automatic calibration. The equilibrium constants of acetic acid, chloroacetic acid, bromoacetic acid, cyanoacetic acid, and iodoacetic acid have been measured using osmometry and their values compared with the existing literature values obtained, usually, from conductometric measurements. Ionization constant determined by osmometry for the moderately strong weak acids were in reasonably good agreement with literature values. The results showed that two factors, the ionic strength and the osmotic coefficient, exert opposite effects in solutions of such weak acids. Another focus of the work was analytical chemistry students solution preparation skills. The prevailing teacher-structured experiments leave little room for students' ingenuity in quantitative volumetric analysis. The purpose of this part of the study was to improve students' skills in making solutions using instrument feedback in a constructivist-learning model. After making some solutions by weighing and dissolving solutes or by serial dilution, students used the spectrophotometer and the osmometer to compare their solutions with standard solutions. Students perceived the instrument feedback as a nonthreatening approach to monitoring the development of their skill levels and liked to clarify their understanding through interacting with an instructor-observer. An assessment of the instrument feedback and the constructivist model indicated that students would assume responsibility for their own learning if given the opportunity. This study involved 167 students enrolled in Quantitative Chemical

Influence of non-colored complexing substances on extraction of Gd and Y ionic associates with 3.5-diodo-saliculic acid and rhodamine B is investigated. The technique of analysis of the Gd and Y oxide mixture is developed with the use of 1.10-phenanthroline and mandelic acid asmasking reagents, first of which in the most part masks the Gd reaction, the second reagent masks the Y one. The low boundary of the determined contents constitutes 1-2%. The equilibrium constants of the substitution reaction of the rhodamine B in the 1.10-phenanthroline compounds are determined

In the present work, several MEEKC systems are studied to assess their suitability for lipophilicity determination of acidic, neutral, and basic compounds. Thus, several microemulsion compositions over a wide range of pH values (from 2.0 to 12.0), containing heptane, 1-butanol and different types and amounts of surfactant (SDS or sodium cholate: from 1.3 to 3.3%) are characterized using Abraham's solvation model. The addition of acetonitrile (up to 10%) is also studied, since it increases the resolution of the technique for the most lipophilic compounds. The system coefficients obtained are very similar to those of the 1-octanol/water, used as the reference lipophilicity index, allowing simple and linear correlations between the 1-octanol/water partition values (log Po/w ) and MEEKC mass distribution ratios (log kMEEKC ). Variations in the microemulsion composition (aqueous buffer, surfactant, concentration of ACN) did not significantly affect the similarity of the MEEKC systems to log Po/w partition. PMID:27126602

Summary: The surface properties of several glass-ionomer restorative dental materials (GC Fuji, Chemadent G-J, Ketac Fil and Ketac Molar) were investigated by means of inverse gas chromatography. The capacity of the surface of glass-ionomers to undergo specific interactions was expressed using the specific component of free energy {delta}G {sup s} as well as the parameters K {sub A} and K {sub D} to describe the ability of the cement to act both as an electron acceptor and an electron donor, respectively. The character of the examined surface was expressed with the use of the S {sub C} parameter. All these parameters were determined with a high degree of precision. It was found that the surface of glass-ionomer cements had a well-marked acidic character. The ability of the cement surface to take part in specific interactions differed with the various types of commercial products. The surface activity of the glass-ionomers investigated changed with the storage time (up to 6 months) indicating an on-going setting reaction.

Summary: The surface properties of several glass-ionomer restorative dental materials (GC Fuji, Chemadent G-J, Ketac Fil and Ketac Molar) were investigated by means of inverse gas chromatography. The capacity of the surface of glass-ionomers to undergo specific interactions was expressed using the specific component of free energy ΔG s as well as the parameters K A and K D to describe the ability of the cement to act both as an electron acceptor and an electron donor, respectively. The character of the examined surface was expressed with the use of the S C parameter. All these parameters were determined with a high degree of precision. It was found that the surface of glass-ionomer cements had a well-marked acidic character. The ability of the cement surface to take part in specific interactions differed with the various types of commercial products. The surface activity of the glass-ionomers investigated changed with the storage time (up to 6 months) indicating an on-going setting reaction

An RP-HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of aspartame and amino acids in fermented milk beverages were established. Samples were prepared by mixing with methanol at a ratio of 1:1 and centrifuged at 4,000 r/min for 15 min. Ten microL supernatant was moved into a sample tube, dried and derivatized according to PICO-TAG procedure developed by Waters. A Novapak C18 column (3.9 mm x 150 mm) was used instead of PICO TAG column and the gradient elution program was modified correspondingly. Column temperature was maintained at 38 degrees C and the components were detected at 254 nm. Linearity for aspartame at the range in 1-100 mg/L is A = 333 C + 20 with r = 0.9996 where A is the integrated area of chromatographic peak of aspartame and C is the corresponding mass concentration. Repeatability for 8 injections was tested and the RSD of 3.2% was obtained. The recovery of aspartame for 5 samples with the method ranged from 94.2% to 98.7%. PMID:11938922

Oxidative stress imposed on living organisms is believed to lead to the depletion of their antioxidant defences, followed by chemical changes in the cell constituents. These may ultimately develop into pathological conditions such as cancer or cardiovascular disease. An assay of peroxides which could be applied to tissues or simple tissue extracts would prove extremely useful in the studies of the phenomenon of oxidative stress. With this purpose, the authors have tested the ability of two peroxide assay techniques to measure the formation of amino acid and protein peroxides in aqueous solutions irradiated with gamma rays, using a modification of the method based on the oxidation of Fe(II)) by peroxides and complexing of the Fe(III) produced by xylenol orange. The molar extinction coefficients of the peroxides tested were determined by comparison with the well-tested iodometric assay. This work was extended to the detection of all organic peroxides in human blood plasma or serum subjected to oxidative stress, where the iodometric assay proved difficult to apply and unreliable because of the binding of iodine to the blood components. Preliminary results suggest that exposure of serum to gamma radiation leads to immediate peroxidation of the proteins, with a delay before generation of lipid peroxides

Three sets of young hens and broilers received six diet treatments. The diets were on fast (FAS), and force-fed nitrogen-free diet (NFD), NFD + 3.20% enzyme hydrolysed casein (EHC), semi-synthesized diets with 5% and 20% crude protein (CP) in which soybean meal was the sole nitrogen source, and semi-synthesized diet with 20% CP in which cotton seed meal was the sole nitrogen source. After force-fed, 30 μCi[3H]Leu/kgBW was injected subcutaneously, the excreta in the following 48h were totally collected, and venous blood samples were taken at 5 min, 30 min, 4 h, 24 h, 36 h and 48 h. The study showed that the ratios between specific radioactivity (SR) of endogenous Leucine in excreta (SRe) and SR of free Leucine in plasma (SRp) kept constant, no matter what kinds of diets the birds ate. This made it possible to determine endogenous amino acid losses (EAAL) of practical diets when NFD was taken as the reference. (authors)

The paper describes a methodology for the control of hydrological effects of urban transformation, which leads to the increase in peak discharges following the increments in land imperviousness. The method computes a volume per unit area which allows to keep the specific discharge constant, given the percentage of the transformed area which becomes impervious, and is based on a linear reservoir model. It is expected that using the method in land planning may give a self-corrective procedure for the design of hydraulically invariant, yet economically sustainable urban plans. A sample application of the method is presented and future lines of research are drawn which should bring to application and parameter choice guidelines for general use of the method in strategic environmental assessment. [Italian] Il lavoro propone un metodo per la valutazione dei volumi di laminazione richiesti al fine di garantire l'invarianza idraulica delle trasformazioni urbanistiche. Il metodo giunge a definire uno standard urbanistico che puo' essere recepito direttamente in sede di pianificazione comunale, e che costituisce uno strumento di autocorrezione del piano al fine di non creare aggravi alla situazione idrologica esistente. Si propone l'applicazione esemplificativa al piano regolatore di Cesena, e si mettono in luce le principali necessita' di approfondimento per rendere il metodo suscettibile di applicazione efficace a livello sistematico.

Methods for the determination of /sup 13/C abundances at individual olefinic carbon positions have been developed, tested, and shown to perform accurately. (1) The double bond is oxidized with ozone; (2) silver oxide is used to cleave the resulting ozonide quantitatively to carboxylic-acid fragments; (3) a modified Schmidt decarboxylation is used to produce CO/sub 2/ quantitatively from the carboxyl groups of the separated cleavage products; and (4) the CO/sub 2/ is utilized for mass spectrometric analysis. The results of intramolecular isotopic analyses are combined with molecular-average isotopic compositions determined by total combustion in order to show that fatty acids biosynthesized by Escherichia coli grown aerobically with glucose as the sole carbon source and harvested at late log phase are depleted by approximately 3 parts per thousand in /sup 13/C relative to the glucose. This fractionation arises in the formation of acetyl-coenzyme A by pyruvate dehydrogenase and is localized at the carboxyl position in the acetyl-CoA product. The isotopic order in that two-carbon subunit is carried through the biosynthesis of fatty acids so that alternate positions in the fatty-acid chains are depleted in /sup 13/C by an amount equal to twice the molecular-average depletion. The kinetic isotope effect at C-2 for pyruvate dehydrogenase in vivo is shown to be approximately 2.3%.

Methods for the determination of 13C abundances at individual olefinic carbon positions have been developed, tested, and shown to perform accurately. (1) The double bond is oxidized with ozone; (2) silver oxide is used to cleave the resulting ozonide quantitatively to carboxylic-acid fragments; (3) a modified Schmidt decarboxylation is used to produce CO2 quantitatively from the carboxyl groups of the separated cleavage products; and (4) the CO2 is utilized for mass spectrometric analysis. The results of intramolecular isotopic analyses are combined with molecular-average isotopic compositions determined by total combustion in order to show that fatty acids biosynthesized by Escherichia coli grown aerobically with glucose as the sole carbon source and harvested at late log phase are depleted by approximately 3 parts per thousand in 13C relative to the glucose. This fractionation arises in the formation of acetyl-coenzyme A by pyruvate dehydrogenase and is localized at the carboxyl position in the acetyl-CoA product. The isotopic order in that two-carbon subunit is carried through the biosynthesis of fatty acids so that alternate positions in the fatty-acid chains are depleted in 13C by an amount equal to twice the molecular-average depletion. The kinetic isotope effect at C-2 for pyruvate dehydrogenase in vivo is shown to be approximately 2.3%. (author)

Analyte pulse perturbation ( APP ) technique was applied to the study of the perturbation of ascorbic acid (AA) on the lactic acid-acetone-BrO3--Mn2+-H2SO4 oscllating reaction, and AA was determined using this new oscillating chemical system. Influence of experimental variables was investigated. The linear range lies between 5.0 × 10-7-5.5 × 10-5 mol/L, and the precision and throughput were quite good (2.43% as RSD,and 8-10 samples/h, respectively). This method was applied to the determination of real samples and the results were satisfactory. Some aspects of the potential mechanism of action of AA on the oscillating systems are discussed.

A new method using capillary zone electrophoresis was developed for the rapid quantification of two common uronic acids, galacturonic acid and glucuronic acid, based on utilization of an alkaline background electrolyte with reversed electroosmotic flow (EOF) within 16 min. The method relies on in-capillary reaction and direct UV detection at the wavelength 270 nm. The optimum electrolyte solution was prepared of 130 mm sodium hydroxide, 36 mm disodium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate and 0.5 mm cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. EOF was reversed to detect uronic acids and to improve the separation of neutral sugars. The established method was validated and the results showed good linearity, high precision and satisfactory sensitivity. The newly developed method was successfully applied to analyze galacturonic acid and glucuronic acid content in Forsythia suspensa polysaccharides. The method is fast since only sample hydrolysis and dilution are required in the sample preparation. PMID:21154888

Full Text Available High pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC methods were used for measurement of vitamin C and organic acid changes of two strawberry cultivars (‘Dorit’ and ‘Selva’ during cold storage. Harvested strawberries at the last stage of commercial ripeness were placed in perforated (8 perforations, 10 mm diameter plastic boxes and stored at 0°C temperature and 90-95% relative humidity for 10 days. Vitamin C content decreased in both cultivars but no significant differences were found in ‘Dorit’ from the beginning to the end of the storage. The highest share of total acids was contributed by citric acid. It decreased with increase in storage time in both cultivars. Malic acid content of cultivars also decreased with storage time. Tartaric, oxalic and fumaric acid contents fluctuated during storage, but at the end of cold storage these organic acids had decreased in comparison to initial values.

Gold nanotube arrays of rough and porous wall has been synthesized by direct electrodeposition with cyclic voltammetry utilizing anodic aluminum oxide template (AAO) and polycarbonate membrane (PC) during short time (only 3 min and 2 min, respectively). The mechanism of the direct electrodeposition of gold nanotube arrays by cyclic voltammetry (CV) has been discussed. The morphological characterizations of the gold nanotube arrays have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA) by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was constructed by attaching gold nanotube arrays (using AAO) onto the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The electrochemical behavior of AA and UA at this modified electrode has been studied by CV and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The sensor offers an excellent response for AA and UA and the linear response range for AA and UA were 1.02 × 10−7–5.23 × 10−4 mol L−1 and 1.43 × 10−7–4.64 × 10−4 mol L−1, the detection limits were 1.12 × 10−8 mol L−1 and 2.24 × 10−8 mol L−1, respectively. This sensor shows good regeneration, stability and selectivity and has been used for the determination of AA and UA in real human urine and serum samples with satisfied results. - Graphical abstract: The schematic diagram of formation of Au nanotube arrays (a) and the stepwise procedure of the sensor (b). Highlights: ► Gold nanotubes array has been synthesized by cyclic voltammetry. ► The mechanism of deposition of gold nanotube has been discussed. ► A determination of ascorbic acid and uric acid was constructed by gold array. ► A satisfied determination of samples can be obtained by this sensor.

The ion chromatography combined solid phase extraction (SPE) method was developed for the analysis of low concentration haloacetic acids(HAAs),a calss of disinfection by-products formed as a result of chlorination of hospital wastewater. The monitored HAAs included monochloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, dibromoacetic acid and trichloroacetic acid. The method employed a sodium hydroxide eluent at a flow rate of 0.8 ml/min, electrolytically generated gradients, and suppressed conductivity detection. To analyze the HAAs in real hospital wastewater samples, C18 pretreatment cartridge was utilized to reduce samples' turbidity. Preconcentration with SPE and matrix elimination with treatment cartridges were investigated and were found to be able to obtain acceptable detection limits. Linearity, repeatability and detection limits of the above method were evaluated. The detection limits of monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid were 2.61 μg/L and 1.30 μg/L respectively, and the other three are ranging from 0.48 to 0.82 μg/L under 25-fold preconcentration. When the above optimization procedure was applied to three hospital wastewater samples with different treatment processes in Tianjin, it was found that the dichloroacetic acid is the major compound, and the growth ratios of the HAAs after disinfection by sodium hypochlorite were 91.28%, 63.61% and 79.50%, respectively.

Chinese rice wine is abundant in amino acids. The possibility of quantitative detection of 16 free amino acids (aspartic acid, threonine, serine, glutamic acid, proline, glycine, alanine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, lysine, histidine, and arginine) in Chinese rice wine by Fourier transform near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was investigated for the first time in this study. A total of 98 samples from vintage 2007 rice wines with different aging times were analyzed by NIR spectroscopy in transmission mode. Calibration models were developed using partial least-squares regression (PLSR) with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) by postcolumn derivatization and diode array detection as a reference method. To validate the calibration models, full cross (leave-one-out) validation was employed. The results showed that the calibration statistics were good (rcal>0.94) for all amino acids except proline, histidine, and arginine. The correlation coefficient in cross validation (rcv) was >0.81 for 12 amino acids. The residual predictive deviation (RPD) value obtained was >1.5 in all amino acids except proline and arginine, and it was >2.0 in 6 amino acids. The results obtained in this study indicated that NIR spectroscopy could be used as an easy, rapid, and novel tool to quantitatively predict free amino acids in Chinese rice wine without sophisticated methods. PMID:20707307

A simple and sensitive poly(gallic acid)/multiwalled carbon nanotube modified glassy carbon electrode (PGA/MWCNT/GCE) electrochemical sensor was prepared for direct determination of the total phenolic content (TPC) as gallic acid equivalent. The GCE working electrode was electrochemically modified and characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry and chronocoulometry. It was found that gallic acid (GA) exhibits a superior electrochemical response on the PGA/MWCNT/GCE sensor in comparison with bare GCE. The results reveal that a PGA/MWCNT/GCE sensor can remarkably enhance the electro-oxidation signal of GA as well as shift the peak potentials towards less positive potential values. The dependence of peak current on accumulation potential, accumulation time and pH were investigated by square-wave voltammetry (SWV) to optimize the experimental conditions for the determination of GA. Using the optimized conditions, the sensor responded linearly to a GA concentration throughout the range of 4.97 × 10(-6) to 3.38 × 10(-5) M with a detection limit of 3.22 × 10(-6) M (S/N = 3). The fabricated sensor shows good selectivity, stability, repeatability and (101%) recovery. The sensor was successfully utilized for the determination of total phenolic content in fresh pomegranate juice without interference of ascorbic acid, fructose, potassium nitrate and barbituric acid. The obtained data were compared with the standard Folin-Ciocalteu spectrophotometric results. PMID:27547628

Determination of organic acids in intracellular extracts and in the cultivation media of marine microalgae aid investigations about metabolic routes related to assimilation of atmospheric carbon by these organisms, which are known by their role in the carbon dioxide sink. The separation of these acids was investigated by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) using isocratic elution with a mobile phase composed of 70:30 v/v acetonitrile/20 mmol/L ammonium acetate buffer (pH 6.8) and detection at 220 nm. HILIC allowed the determinations of glycolic acid, the most important metabolite for the evaluation of the photorespiration process in algae, to be made with better selectivity than that achieved by reversed phase liquid chromatography, but with less detectability. The concentration of glycolic acid was determined in the cultivation media and in intracellular extracts of the algae Tetraselmis gracilis and Phaeodactylum tricornutum submitted to different conditions of aeration: (i) without forced aeration, (ii) aeration with atmospheric air, and (iii) bubbling with N(2). The concentration of glycolic acid had a higher increase as the cultures were aerated with nitrogen, showing higher photorespiratory flux than that occurring in the cultures aerated with atmospheric air. PMID:22128110

Through processing of Santa Quiteria-CE mine phosphate rock, Brazil has established a project for production of phosphoric acid fertilizer and uranium as a by-product. Under leaching conditions of phosphate rock with sulfuric acid, which is the common route for preparing phosphoric acid fertilizer, a large part of uranium, thorium and their decay products naturally present in the rock are solubilized. In order to assess the contamination potential in phosphoric acid and others process products, this paper describes a previous precipitation and direct methods for routine analysis of thorium and uranium isotopes by ICP-MS. In all samples, 230Th, 232Th and 238U were directly determined after dilution, except 230Th in phosphoric acid loaded with uranium sample, which to overcome equipment contamination effect, was determined after its separation by oxalate precipitation using lanthanum as a carrier. The results obtained by the proposed method by ICP-MS, were in good agreement when compared to alpha spectrometry for 230Th, and ICP-OES and spectrophotometry with arsenazo III for elementary uranium and thorium determinations. (author)

An improved method for the simultaneous determination of 20 amino acids and 7 carbohydrates using one-valve switching after injection, ion chromatography, and integrated pulsed amperometric detection is proposed. The resolution of the amino acids and carbohydrates in the cation trap column was investigated. In addition, parameters including flow liquid type, flow rate, concentration, and valve-switch timing were optimized. The method is time-saving, effective, and accurate for the simultaneous separation of amino acids and carbohydrates, with a mean correlation coefficient of >0.99 and repeatability of 0.5-4.6% for eight replicates. The method was successfully applied in the analysis of amino acids and carbohydrates in aseptic media and in extracellular culture media of three phenotypes of Clostridium thermocellum. PMID:24070489

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations recently recommended the adoption of a new and improved scoring system (Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score [DIAAS]) to quantify dietary protein quality. The DIAAS is based on the relative digestible content of the indispensable amino acids (IAAs) and the amino acid requirement pattern. Factors involved in calculation of the DIAAS include: use of the content and profile of IAAs as the basis for quality; methods for determination of the protein and amino acid content of the protein source; accuracy of individual requirement values for IAAs; normalization of IAA requirements by the estimated average requirement for protein; and basing the DIAAS on the true ileal digestibility of each IAA in the test protein. This review outlines the rationale for including each of these factors in the calculation of the DIAAS and describes associated potential errors. PMID:27452871

A novel kinetic method for determination of uric acid in human serum by means of an uncatalyzed BZ system consisting of potassium bromate and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde （p-HBA） in sulfuric acid medium was proposed, in which the analyte perturbation to the system was recorded close to the bifurcation point. The potential change was directly proportional to the logarithm of concentration of uric acid in the range of 3.73 × 10 8--7.48 × 10-4 mol.L-1 （r=0.9983） with a detection limit of 7.45 × 10-9mol.L-I and a recovery from 98.9% to 101.1%. A comparison between the proposed technique and other methods indicated that results obtained were in agreement with those in clinical detection. In addition, the possible mechanism of action of uric acid on the uncatalyzed BZ reaction was also discussed briefly.

The stability constants of complexes of Eu, Gd, Tb, Yb with fulvic acid from weathered coal are determined using Schubert's ion exchange method and radioactive tracers. The range of stability constants is 108-1014, and the 1:1 and 1:2 binding sites complexes are the predominant species. Calculation methods based on Ardakani-Stevenson's ion exchange equilibrium method are developed for determining stability constants of metal with humic and fulvic acids. The methods are verified using Tb(III)-fulvic acid from weathered coal. The stability constants range from 1011.93-1011.15 at pH 4.7 and ionic strength 0.1 mol/kg

The determination of the repeatability (r) and reproducibility (R) of the (13C/12C) measurement in sugars and organic acids contained in different fruit juices was conducted on an international basis involving 17 laboratories. The mean values of rper thousand (Rper thousand) for acids and sugars are, respectively, equal to 0.58 (1.75) and 0.34 (0.71) and the relatively large values observed for R of aciddeterminations are related to the preparation step. However, the least significant difference computed for several pairs of natural and spiked juices indicate that the 13C method can be applied for detecting fruit juice adulteration. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

The determination of the repeatability (r) and reproducibility (R) of the ({sup 13}C/{sup 12}C) measurement in sugars and organic acids contained in different fruit juices was conducted on an international basis involving 17 laboratories. The mean values of rper thousand (Rper thousand) for acids and sugars are, respectively, equal to 0.58 (1.75) and 0.34 (0.71) and the relatively large values observed for R of aciddeterminations are related to the preparation step. However, the least significant difference computed for several pairs of natural and spiked juices indicate that the {sup 13}C method can be applied for detecting fruit juice adulteration. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

A simple and rapid method was developed for in vivo simultaneous determination of ascorbic-acid and antioxidant capacity in microdialysates from cladodes of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller. The method is verified in water-stressed plants, as compared with a well-watered test controls. The microdialysis probe construction and insertion procedure was specifically developed to minimise the tissue trauma of the plant and to obtain optimal dialysis performance. Microdialysis was performed using a flow rate of 3 μL/min and the samples were analysed by HPLC coupled to electrochemical detection of ascorbic-acid and DPPH-determined antioxidant capacity. Our data indicate exponential decay of the concentrations of the analysed compounds as a function of microdialysis sampling time. Water-stressed Opuntia show decreased ascorbic acid levels and increased the others antioxidants. PMID:24206696

Full Text Available Brilliant, valid and simple five UV spectrophotometric stability indicating techniques are adopted for the determination of Gemifloxacin (GEM in presence of its acid degradation products over a concentration range of 2-12 μg mL-1. The first method is an application of the first derivative (1D spectrophotometry, that allows the determination of GEM without interference of its acid degradation products at zero crossing wavelength (254.6 nm. The second method depends on the first-derivative of the ratio spectra spectrophotometry (1DD for determination of GEM in presence of its acid degradation products at a maximum of 273.0 nm and a minimum of 284.0 nm, While the third dual wavelength method offers a superior stability indicating procedures for the determination of GEM in the zero order spectra at the wavelength pair of 271.8 nm and 325.0 nm. The fourth method is the ratio difference one, with the advantages of minimal data processing and wide range of application. It is applied for the analysis of intact drug in presence of its acid degradation products by measuring the difference in the peak amplitude at the ratio spectra at 355.0 nm and 270.0 nm. The last method is based on the quantification of GEM through the bivariate calibration at 255.0 nm and 277.0 nm by adopting simple mathematic algorithm that provides simplicity and rapidity

A sensitive and quantitative gas chromatographic assay for the determination of 18 beta-glycyrrhetinic acid (18 beta-GA), the main metabolite of glycyrrhizin after oral licorice consumption in human urine, has been developed and validated. For the extraction of 18 beta-GA from urine two Sep-Pak C-18

a protein stabilization/solubilization effect of the glycan. Interestingly, the terminating sialic acids were essential for these effects. Conclusively, the structure/bioactivity relationship of rhIFN-β1a was determined in vivo and provided a novel insight into the role of the rhIFN-β1a glycan and...

A study on the optimization and development of a chromatographic method for the determination of gallic and picric acids in pyrotechnic samples is presented. In order to achieve this, both analytical conditions by HPLC with diode detection and extraction step of a selected sample were studied. (Author)

The melting point is one of the most important physical properties of a chemical compound and plays a significant role in determining possible applications. For fatty acid esters the melting point is essential for a variety of food and non-food applications, the latter including biodiesel and its c...

Sphingolipid fatty acids are first converted to a mixture of free acids and their n-butyl esters by heating the specimen at 85 degree C in aqueous butanolic hydrogen chloride; the butyl esters are then saponified with methanolic potassium hydroxide. After acidification and extraction into hexane, the fatty acids are extracted into a very small volume of aqueous trimethyl(m-trifluorotolyl)ammonium hydroxide (TMTFTH), injection of an aliquot of the TMTFTH extract into the gas chromatograph yields the fatty acid methyl esters by pyrolytic methylation of the quaternary ammonium salts of the fatty acids. The preparation of a specimen ready for the gas--liquid chromatographic (GLC) analysis with quantitative recovery of the sphingolipid fatty acids can be accomplished in less than 2 h. By comparison, none of a number of well-accepted techniques for the release of sphingomyelin fatty acids by hydrolysis or methanolysis released the fatty acids quantitatively in less than 3 h, and all required additional manipulations before GLC analysis. PMID:7217267

Full Text Available Background. Performic acid has recently become available on a commercial scale for potential use in waste-water disinfection and can become an innovative biocide for various purposes in food processing. The aim of our study was: 1 to investigate the antimicrobial resistance of performic acid as high active and non toxic chemical disinfectant against Escherichi coli (hygiene indicator test microorganism used in industrial micro- biology and 2 to evaluate the electrical impedance measurement method usefulness for fast and high precise test of antibacterial activity. Material and methods. Four types of antimicrobial disinfectants (commercial 35% hydrogen peroxide, 1% performic acid, 35% hydrogen peroxide and 15% formic acid were tested against Escherichia coli as hygiene indicator test microorganism. By evaluating the biocidal activity of selected disinfectants two methods were compared: electrical impedance measurement and classical serial dilution method with turbidity effect. Results. It was stated that the performic acid expressed the highest antibacterial activity in comparison to other tested peroxide disinfectants: commercial 35% hydrogen peroxide solution and components required for performic acid production: 35% hydrogen peroxide solution with stabilizers and 15% formic acid solution with stabilizers. It was demonstrated that the proposed alternative microbiology method of electrical imped- ance measurement facilitates a rapidly and more precise analyses of the intensity of disinfectants inhibition effect. Conclusions. It can be postulated that both, the performic acid disinfectants as well as the impedimetric method can be a good advantage in the industrial microbiology.

Gallocyanine-chrome alum-stained pig embryonic kidney cells have paramagnetic properties. They move under the influence of gradient magnetic field (magnetophoresis). The velocity of magnetophoresis is proportional to the content of nucleic acids in cells. This allows to estimate the content of nucleic acids per cell dry weight by magnetophoresis and analytical centrifugation. PMID:2473104

Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins interfere in the IGF-I and -II radioimmunoassays. In an attempt to overcome this problem, we have compared the use of truncated IGF-I, with reduced IGFBP affinity, and IGF-I as radioligands for IGF-I RIA measurements in serum separated by acid gel filtration or acid ethanol extraction followed by cryo-precipitation. With truncated IGF-I as radioligand the IGF-I measurements in acid gel filtrates and acid ethanol extracts were significantly correlated in healthy subjects (N=42, r=0.91, p<0.001) and in patients with acromegaly (N=10, r=0.85, p<0.01), GH deficiency (N=10, r=0.88, p<0.001) or Type I diabetes mellitus (N=10, r=0.90, p<0.001). In contrast, the IGF-I concentrations in acid ethanol extracts determined with IGF-I as radioligand did not correlate with those in acid gel filtrates using truncated IGF-I radioligand in patients with acromegaly (r=0.61, NS) or GH deficiency (r=0.46, NS). In the latter group the mean IGF-I concentrations measured in acid ethanol extracts were erroneously elevated by 112%. Low-affinity antibodies used for IGF-II RIA determinations failed to give reliable results in acid ethanol extracts from patients with Type I diabetes mellitus or GH deficiency. In conclusion, erroneously high IGF-I concentrations owing to binding of the radioligand to IGFBPs not completely removed by acid ethanol extraction can be avoided by the use of truncated IGF-I as radioligand. (author).

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Tea and coffee are one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world due to their beneficial health effects which are largely associated with their phenolic compounds composition, including chlorogenic acid. The main aim of this study was to determine 5-caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA, as one of the major classes of chlorogenic acid, in various commercial tea and coffee samples present at the Serbian market. Methods. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC method for determination of 5-CQA in plant extracts was applied to determine the content of this active compound in commercial tea and coffee samples. Mobile phase was aqueous 1.5% acetic acid - methanol (80:20, v/v with the flow rate of 0.8 mL/min. Run time was 15 min and column temperature 25°C. The detection was performed at 240 nm. Results. The HPLC method was modified and revalidated. The 5-CQA content varied depending on the type of tea (white, green, black tea and mate and the processing technology. Green tea had the highest 5-CQA content (16 mg/100 mL among the analyzed tea samples. The content of 5-CQA in coffee samples ranged 0-36.20 mg/g of coffee and 0-46.98 mg/100 mL of beverage, showing that the content varied depending on the type of coffee, coffee processing technology and the formulation. Conclusion. The modified and revalidated HPLC method showed a good accuracy, repeatability, selectivity and robustness. The highest amount of 5-CQA was determined in green tea in comparison to white, black and mate tea because the increased oxidation level decreases the amount of 5-CQA. The obtained results for commercial coffee samples indicated that the formulation was the most important factor determining the amount of 5-CQA. It can be concluded that plant material selection, processing conditions and formulation have great influence on the amount of chlorogenic acid (5-CQA in the final tea and coffee products. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. OI

Full Text Available Frankincense (Boswellia serrata, B. carterii is used as traditional remedy to treat inflammatory diseases. The molecular effects of the active ingredients, the boswellic acids, on the immune system have previously been studied and verified in several clinical studies. Boswellic acids also inhibit cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. The molecular basis of the cytotoxicity of boswellic acids is, however, not fully understood as yet. By mRNA-based microarray, COMPARE, and hierarchical cluster analyses, we identified a panel of genes from diverse functional groups, which were significantly associated with sensitivity or resistance of a- or b-boswellic acids, such as transcription factors, signal transducers, growth regulating genes, genes involved in RNA and protein metabolism and others. This indicates that boswellic acids exert profound cytotoxicity on cancer cells by a multiplicity of molecular mechanisms.

The solubilization of octylamidotartaric acid (C8T) and octanoic acid (C8C) in Triton X-100 and Brij 58 nonionic micelles has been studied by pHmetric and 1H NMR self-diffusion experiments. As both C8C and C8T exhibit acid-base properties, a distinction between the partition of the neutral acidic form, in terms of the partition coefficient KPH, and the partition of the charged basic form, in terms of the partition coefficient KP-, has been made. The acidity constants, Ka, of C8T and C8C in the presence of micelles have been evaluated from pHmetric experiments. For both solutes, an increase in the pKa is observed in micellar media due to the difference in the partition of acidic and basic forms of the solutes. A model has been developed to determine KPH and KP- from the pKa shifts observed. The values obtained by this pKa shift modeling method and those from self-diffusion coefficient measurements are in good agreement. The acidic form of C8C is incorporated to a larger extent into the Brij 58 micelles than the acidic form of C8T, whereas the opposite trend is observed for the basic forms. Both the acidic and basic forms of C8T are more easily incorporated into Brij 58 micelles than into Triton X-100 micelles. The influence of the structure of the polar head on the solubilization properties is demonstrated. Moreover, evidence for the localization of the solutes in the micelles is obtained from the comparison of the partition coefficients and from 1H NMR data. PMID:17850105

Fatty acid (FA) analysis is a tool for dietary investigation that complements traditional stomach content analyses. Controlled feeding experiments were used to determine the extent to which the FA composition of diet is reflected in the liver and muscle tissue of the Port Jackson shark Heterodontus portusjacksoni. Over 10 wk, two groups of sharks were fed prawns or squid, which have distinct FA profiles. The percentage of total FA was significantly different for shark liver and muscle tissue when comparing controls with prawn- and squid-fed sharks. Compared with experimentally fed sharks, control shark muscle and liver had higher levels of 18:1n-9 and 20:2n-9. When comparing prawn- and squid-fed sharks, only liver tissue showed a significant difference in FA profiles. The livers of prawn-fed sharks were comparatively higher in 18:1n-7, 22:5n-3, 20:0, and 18:1n-9, while the squid-fed sharks had higher levels of 16:0 and 22:6n-3. These FAs in shark liver tissue were all reflective of higher amounts in their respective dietary items, demonstrating the conservative transfer of FA from diet to liver tissue. This study shows that liver and muscle FA profiles can be used as indicators of dietary change through the comparison of controls and fed sharks. The timescale of this study may not have been sufficient for capturing the integration of FA into muscle tissue because only liver FA profiles were useful to distinguish between sharks fed different diets. These findings have important implications for sampling design where FA profiles are used to infer dietary preferences. PMID:23434786

Crude oil is the life-blood of the global economy. Its importance stems from the fact that it is a base product for a wide variety of goods [Drugs, Plastics, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)]. The oil discovery (over 3 billion barrel reserves in hydrocarbon and gas), about 60 km offshore between the Deepwater Tano and Cape Three Points Block in South western Ghana is a valuable natural asset and it has the potential of boosting the Ghanaian economy. During petroleum processing, various waste products are generated. One of such products is Naphthenic acids (NA). Naphthenic acids are organic acids naturally occurring in crude oil and a constituent of waste associated with oil refinery. Naphthenic acids serve as biomarkers for identification of the source of crude oil. The presence of Naphthenic acid in the aquatic environment causes toxic effects due to their weak biodegradable nature; the toxicity of Naphthenic acids depends on the class of Naphthenic acids present in the crude oil. The study assessed the profile of Naphthenic acids in Ghana’s Jubilee crude oil using Low Resolution Electron Impact – Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LREI-GCMS) after isolation of Naphthenic acids in the Jubilee oil by a modified Kupchan’s Partitioning Process. The Mass Spectrometric (MS) Work Station Software was used for the identification of the Naphthenic acids present in the Jubilee crude oil. The quality of the Jubilee oil was also evaluated through the use of some key physico-chemical parameters [Total Acid Number (TAN), Sulphur Content, Viscosity, Pour Point, Flashpoint, Water Content and Densities] based on the American Standards for Testing and Materials (ASTM, 2007). The Total Acid Number was determined by Colorimetric Titration (ASTM D974); Sulphur Content by X-ray Fluorescent Spectrometry (ASTM D4294); Pour Point by the use of the SETA cloud and Pour Point Refrigerator Technique (ASTM D97); Viscosity by Gravity Timed Method (ASTM D445); Density by the Hydrometer

A convenient enzymatic optical method for uric acid detection was developed based on the fluorescence quenching of ligand-capped CdTe nanoparticles by H2O2 which was generated from the enzymatic reaction of uric acid. The interactions between the CdTe nanoparticles capped with different ligands (glutathione, 3-mercaptopropionic acid, and thioglycerol) and H2O2 were investigated. The fluorescence quenching studies of GSH-capped CdTe nanoparticles demonstrated an excellent sensitivity to H2O2. The effects of uric acid, uricase and H2O2 on the fluorescence intensity of CdTe nanoparticles were also explored. The detection conditions, reaction time, pH value, incubation period and the concentration of uricase and uric acid were optimized. The detection limit of uric acid was found to be 0.10 µM and the linear range was 0.22-6 µM under the optimized experimental conditions. These results typify that CdTe nanoparticles could be used as a fluorescent probe for uric acid detection. PMID:26433069

On purpose to study the radioassay of serum vitamin B12 and folic acid using non boil methods in with these two vitamins were released from their endogenous binding proteins with alkaline denaturation and separated the bound vitamins from the free ones with the magnetic iron particles coated these vitamin binders (purified hog intrinsic factor and beta-lactoglobulin from cow milk) were evaluated on precision and accuracy, compared with boil radioassay. 1. The reproducibilities of non boil method were 4.5 +/- 2.5% on vit. B12 and 3.5 +/- 0.2% on folate (n = 10), respectively. 2. The recovery test of the two serum vitamins with the use of cyanocobalamin and pteroylglutamic acid (J.P.) were finely showed the rations of 95.2-99.0% for vit. B12 and 101.0-108.0% for folic acid. And that of folic acid use of 5-methyl-tetrahydro-pteroylglutamic acid was showed the ratios of 101.0-104.0%. The values of folic acid measured by this method were found slightly higher than non boil method using conventional standard. 3. The correlation coefficient between non boil method and boil method were 0.987 and regression equation was showed y = 0.97x + 73.59 for vit. B12 (n = 75) and r = 0.932, y = 1.02x-0.08 (n = 78) for folic acid. 4. Normal range of serum total vit. B12 concentration was 210-920 (484 +/- 160 pg/ml, n = 259) and that of folic acid was 2.5-9.2 (5.2 +/- 1.4 ng/ml, n = 257), as well as boil method. 5. Accordingly it was considered that non boil (new standard) method was excellent for estimation of vitamin B12 and folic acid clinical status. PMID:8072237

A perovskite, SrPdO3, of the type ABO3 was used in the form of a composite with carbon paste as an electrode (CpE/SrPdO3) for the electrochemical sensing of dopamine (DA) in biological fluids. The CpE/SrPdO3 electrode showed a unique long term stability and low detection limit for (DA) determination. The structural characteristics of the modifier (SrPdO3) that were prepared by a green method revealed a primary orthorhombic perovskite phase of SrPdO3 and a secondary phase of SrPd3O4. The electrocatalytic activity of the CpE/SrPdO3 electrode toward DA oxidation is relatively higher when compared to electrodeposited palladium nanoparticles modified CpE (CpE/Pd) with equivalent loading of Pd4+ salt. The prepared perovskite was characterized by XRD and SEM. Electrochemical characterization of CpE/SrPdO3 was done using cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The redox behavior of DA follows a quasi reversible mechanism and two linear ranges of 7–70 μmol L−1 and 90–160 μmol L−1 with low detection limits of 9.3 nmol L−1 and 25 nmol L−1, respectively, and good correlation coefficient of 0.9981 could be determined. The electrocatalytic behavior is explained in terms of an oxygen–surface interaction between the oxygen atoms of the hydroxyl groups and the transition element in the perovskite. The protocol of DA sensing using this method was simple, sensitive and successfully applied for direct determination of DA in human urine samples with excellent recovery results. CpE/SrPdO3 showed also high reproducibility, enhanced sensitivity, selectivity and anti-interference ability

The effect of an anionic surfactant(sodium dodecylsulfate.SDS)on the fluorescence properties of nucleic acid with terbium(III)is studied.Results show that ri-bonucleir acid (RNA)presents fluorescence reaction with Tb(III)directly.but deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA)pre-sents similar fluorescence reaction only after its denatura-tion.In the presence of SDS ,the fluorescence intensity is 4.0 times and 3.5 times greater than that of DNA and RNA without SDS.

A method was developed for assessing ascorbic acid concentration in commercial fruit juice by cyclic voltammetry. The anodic oxidation peak for ascorbic acid occurs at about 490 mV on a Pt disc working electrode (versus SCE). The influence of the potential sweep speed on the peak height was studied. The obtained calibration graph shows a linear dependence between peak height and ascorbic acid concentration in the domain (0.1–10 mmol·L−1). The equation of the calibration graph was y = 6.391x +...

The HPLC determination method for the determination of Ganoderma lucidum acid was established. The result showed that the maximum standard deviation of cholesterol content was 1.36%under this method for determination and Cholesterol content displayed an excellent linear relationship , the standard curve equation was Y=625.71x+82.857(R=0.998 2). The spike recoveries for cholesterol were between 97.04%and 102.64%, the method was feasibility and accurate for using to determine Ganoderma lucidum acid, the average contents of Ganoderma lucidum acid was 1.03 mg/g by HPLC determination.%利用HPLC法测定灵芝中灵芝酸含量的方法，此方法测定灵芝中灵芝酸含量重复性试验最大标准偏差为1.36%，峰面积与灵芝酸标品线性关系良好，标准曲线方程为Y=625.71x+82.857（R=0.9982），加标回收率在97.04%~102.64%之间，此方法用于灵芝中灵芝酸含量准确、可行；经测定灵芝中灵芝酸为含量1.03 mg/g。

A new method for determining the acid values (AVs) of edible oils based on the OH stretching band was developed. The oil sample was diluted with carbon tetrachloride and was placed in a quartz cuvette with a thickness of 1cm to record the FTIR spectrum. The peak at 3535cm(-1), which corresponds to the OH stretch of the carboxyl group in free fatty acids, together with the peak valley at 3508cm(-1) and the spectral data in the range of 3340-3390cm(-1) were used to determine the AV of the edible oil. The excellent linear relationship between the AVs measured in this work and those measured using a titration method, with a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.9929, indicates that the present procedure can be applied as an alternative to the classic method for determining the AVs of edible oils. PMID:27374571

Full Text Available Determining fatty acid methyl or ethyl esters, in the presence of mono-, di- and tri glycerides, is very important when studying fatty compounds' methanolysis or ethanolysis, as well as for controlling the quality of petrochemical products. This work presents a useful technique for determining fatty acids methyl or ethyl esters by high temperature gas chromastography in the presence of mono-, di- and triglycerides. Samples were silylated with N, O-bis (trimethylsilyl trifluroacetamide (BSTFA and then passed throught a 12m HT5 column coated with a phenyl-polysiloxane-carborane film. Standard methyl and ethyl palmitate, methyl and ethyl oleate, DL-palmitin, dipalmitin, tripalmitin and triolein solutions were used for calibrating the technique, using tricaprin as internal standard. Retention times and response factors were also determined. The results were employed in following-up palm oil methanolysis and ethanolysis reactions.

Highlights: ► Cathodic ECL offers conventional and non-aggressive analysis conditions. ► The ECL hydrogen peroxide/ruthenium complex system for uric aciddetermination is novel. ► The ruthenium complex is electrochemically immobilized on graphite screen-printed electrodes. ► The quantification of the uric acid is based on a Stern–Volmer type equation. ► The use of the cathodic ECL working methodology reduces interferences during analysis. -- Abstract: A new method for uric acid (UA) determination based on the quenching of the cathodic ECL of the tris(2,2-bipyridine)ruthenium(II)–uricase system is described. The biosensor is based on a double-layer design containing first tris(2,2-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy){sub 3}{sup 2+}) electrochemically immobilized on graphite screen-printed cells and uricase in chitosan as a second layer. The uric acid biosensing is based on the ECL quenching produced by uric acid over the cathodic ECL caused by immobilized Ru(bpy){sub 3}{sup 2+} in the presence of uricase. The use of a −1.1 V pulse for 1 s with a dwelling time of 10 s makes it possible to estimate the initial enzymatic rate, which is used as the analytical signal. The Stern–Volmer type calibration function shows a dynamic range from 1.0 × 10{sup −5} to 1.0 × 10{sup −3} M with a limit of detection of 3.1 × 10{sup −6} M and an accuracy of 13.6% (1.0 × 10{sup −4} M, n = 5) as relative standard deviation. Satisfactory results were obtained for urine samples, creating an affordable alternative for uric aciddetermination.

A liquid chromatographic method with luminescence detection for the determination of eight phenolic compounds is reported. The method involves postcolumn derivatization with terbium(III). This derivatization is based on the reaction between phenolics and terbium(III) to form luminescent chelates, which were determined at lamda ex 295 and lamda em 545 nm using the fluorescence mode. The long wavelength emission of lanthanide chelates can minimize interferences from background sample matrix, which usually emit at shorter wavelengths. Also, the chromatographic separation allows the individual determination of phenolics, which cannot be done using the direct measurement of the fluorescence of their corresponding terbium chelates. Dynamic ranges of the calibration graphs and detection limits, obtained with standard solutions of analytes were (microg/mL): gallic acid (0.9-40, 0.3), protocatechuic acid (0.05-7, 0.016), catechin (0.2-40, 0.07), vanillic acid (0.25-40, 0.08), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (0.8-40, 0.25), syringic acid (0.17-40, 0.05), epicatechin (0.3-40, 0.09) and salicylic acid (0.07-12, 0.02). The precision was established at two concentration levels of each analyte and expressed as the percentage of RSD with values ranging between 1.0 and 6.5%. The practical usefulness of the method was demonstrated by the analysis of white wine samples, which were diluted two-fold and directly injected into the chromatographic system. The recovery values obtained ranged between 93.3 and 108.0%. PMID:17305238

采用双波长法对对氯水杨酸的纯度进行了测定。对氯水杨酸在乙醇中的最大吸收波长为243 nm，副产物等吸收总波长为267 nm。测定纯对氯水杨酸的标准纯度都超过99.5%，测定市售3种对氯水杨酸的纯度在97.8%~98.0%。研究表明，该方法操作简单，分析数据准确可靠。%Use dual-wavelength method to determine the purity of p-chlorine salicylic acid. The maximum absorption wavelength of p-chlorine salicylic acid in ethanol is 243 nm. The total absorption wavelength of byproducts is 267 nm. Determination of the standard purity of pure p-chlorine salicylic acid more than 99 . 5%. Determination of the purity of three kinds of commercially available p-chlorine salicylic acid was 97. 8 % ~98. 0 %. Studies show that the method is simple,the analytical data is accurate and reliable.

Tamarisk usage as a new group of lignocelluloses material to produce fermentable sugars in bio ethanol process was studied. The overall aim of this work was to establish the optimum condition for acid hydrolysis of this new material and a mathematical model predicting glucose release as a function of operation variable. Sulfuric acid concentration in the range of 20 to 60%(w/w), process temperature between 60 to 95oC, hydrolysis time from 120 to 240 min and solid content 5,10,15%(w/w) were used as hydrolysis conditions. HPLC was used to analysis of the product. This analysis indicated that glucose was the main fermentable sugar and was increase with time, temperature and solid content and acid concentration was a parabola influence in glucose production. The process was modeled by a quadratic equation. Curve study and model were found that 42% acid concentration, 15 % solid content and 90oC were optimum condition.

The effect of perchlorate, chloride, sulphate, phosphate and fluoride on the fluorimetric determination of uranium after the extraction of uranium into methyl isobutyl ketone from acid-deficient aluminium nitrate solution has been established. Recoveries of uranium from perchlorate and sulphate media after addition of 1 ml of 15 M nitric acid are 100%. Chloride interferes, and a correction must be made to compensate for the anion effect. Phosphate and fluoride in amounts up to 25 mg give recoveries of at least 95%. The anion effect may be minimized by increasing the volume of the organic phase. (author)

The microwave hydrolysis and derivatization coupled with capillary electrophoresis detection were developed for the separation and determination of the amino acids in Panax notoginseng.The experimental conditions for the microwave hydrolysis and derivatization were examined and optimized.Several parameters of capillary electrophoresis,such as pH value of background electrolyte,borate concentration and applied voltage were optimized.Under the selected conditions,11 amino acids were completely separated.The real sample was analyzed and the results were satisfactory.Compared with that of conventional heat hydrolysis and derivatization,the analytical time of this method was significantly shortened.

We report on an electrochemical sensor for the sensitive amperometric determination of ascorbic acid (AA). Aniline containing suspended silicotungstic acid and carbon nanotubes was electropolymerized on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode in a single step which provides a simple and controllable method and greatly improves the electrocatalytic oxidation of AA. The effects of scan rate, solution pH and working potential were studied. A linear relationship exists between the current measured and the concentration of AA in the range from 1 μM to 10 μM and 0.01 mM to 9 mM, with a limit of detection as low as 0.51 μM (S/N = 3). The sensor is selective, stable and satisfyingly reliable in real sample experiments. In our eyes, it has a large potential for practical applications. (author)

Full Text Available A new additive formulation containing hydrogen peroxide, citric acid and trisodium acid is illegally used in fishery products due its whitening and antioxidant features. Aim of this study was to evaluate the possible presence of COPs and their role as markers of illegal treatment in anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus stored at different temperatures. Sensory analysis was also performed by the specific QIM test. The quantitative determinations (% of cholesterol oxides (COPs showed changing amounts during storage. Not always The COPs measured in the treated samples were significantly higher than control samples. Considering the volatility of hydrogen peroxide and the poor repeatability of COPs analyses, as shown in the present study, it is crucial to intensify the control by the Authorities.

The tedious and time consuming methods employed for the analysis of individual B-vitamins can now be replaced by ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) methods. This laboratory has previously reported the simultaneous determination of eight water-soluble vitamin standards that is, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, niacin, niacinamide and folic acid. The proposed isocratic HPLC method, employing 3 channels of detection, adequately separated all eight vitamins in less than 20 minutes. This study reports another phase of the project whereby the method was employed for the analysis of pharmaceutical preparations. Different extraction procedures were first evaluated, namely acid, acid plus enzyme and alkaline hydrolysis methods, using vitamin standards, individual vitamin tablets and multivitamin preparations. The amounts obtained from the analysis were compared with the declared values. Recovery studies were also carried out. The method of acid hydrolysis with 0.1N sulphuric acid was found suitable for use and was thus adopted as the extraction procedure for the analysis of 10 multivitamin preparations obtained from various pharmaceutical outlets. For most of these preparations, the amount obtained were close to the declared values, except for folic acid and cyanocobalamin. Further trials on folic acid showed that the problem could be resolved by omitting the filtration step in the final extract after acid hydrolysis and diluting with 0.01N sodium hydroxide before processing for chromatography. Vitamin B12 was not detectable using the present chromatography system probably because of its low concentration in the samples studied. PMID:22692140

The objective of this study was to estimate the true digestibility coefficients of amino acids and digestible amino acid values of some poultry feedstuffs. The feedstuffs were: babassu meal, sunflower meal, corn gluten meal, babassu starchy meal, meat and bone meal, common beans, pearl millet and residues of cookies, pasta and bread. The precise feeding method of Sibbald was used with adult cecectomized Leghorn roosters distributed in a completely randomized design, consisting of ten treatmen...

Background. Performic acid has recently become available on a commercial scale for potential use in waste-water disinfection and can become an innovative biocide for various purposes in food processing. The aim of our study was: 1) to investigate the antimicrobial resistance of performic acid as high active and non toxic chemical disinfectant against Escherichi coli (hygiene indicator test microorganism used in industrial micro- biology) and 2) to evaluate the electrical impedanc...

A simple modified TiO(2) nanotubes electrode was fabricated by electrodeposition of Pd, Pt and Au nanoparticles. The TiO(2) nanotubes electrode was prepared using the anodizing method, followed by modifying Pd nanoparticles onto the tubes surface, offering a uniform conductive surface for electrodeposition of Pt and Au. The performance of the modified electrode was characterized by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry methods. The Au/Pt/Pd/TiO(2) NTs modified electrode represented a high sensitivity towards individual detection of dopamine as well as simultaneous detection of dopamine and uric acid using 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.00) as the base solution. In both case, electro-oxidation peak currents of dopamine were linearly related to accumulated concentration over a wide concentration range of 5.0 × 10(-8) to 3.0 × 10(-5) M. However in the same range of dopamine concentration, the sensitivity had a significant loss at Pt/Pd/TiO(2) NTs electrode, suggesting the necessity for Au nanoparticles in modified electrode. The limit of the detection was determined as 3 × 10(-8) M for dopamine at signal-to-noise ratio equal to 3. Furthermore, the Au/Pt/Pd/TiO(2) NTs modified electrode was able to distinguish the oxidation response of dopamine, uric acid and ascorbic acid in mixture solution of different acidity. It was shown that the modified electrode possessed a very good reproducibility and long-term stability. The method was also successfully applied for determination of DA in human urine samples with satisfactory results. PMID:21494708

In this work it is presented a survey on total mercury determination by a radiochemical method in sediment and soil samples from two regions, in the state of Amapa: Serra do Navio (background area) and Vila Nova river basin (gold mining area). The method consisted in leaching of the irradiated samples with acqua regia in a Parr bomb, and heating in microwave oven, for one minute. Then the solvent extraction technique was applied, using bismuth diethyldithiocarbamate (Bi(DDC){sub 3}) as extractant agent. The organic phase, containing {sup 197}Hg and {sup 203}Hg radioisotopes, was measured in a gamma spectrometer with hyper pure Ge detector. This method eliminated the interference of the 279.54 keV photopeak of {sup 75}Se on 279.2 keV photopeak of {sup 203}Hg, besides improving counting statistics of both Hg radioisotopes. The elements As, Ba, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, Ho, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, Nd, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, Ti, U, V, W, Yb, Zn and Zr were also determined by the instrumental neutron activation analysis. Two irradiation series were carried out to quantify these elements in soil and sediment samples; a short term irradiation allowed to evaluate Mg, Mn, Na, Ti and V levels, and by long term irradiation, the other elements were determined. Precision and accuracy of radiochemical procedure were verified by means of analysis of the reference materials Buffalo River Sediment and Lake Sediment, for sediments and GXR-5, for soils. For the instrumental analysis, the reference materials Buffalo River Sediment, Soil 7, JB-1 and Oyster Tissue were used. The samples were also submitted to X ray diffraction, in Instituto de Geoscience-USP, to observe mercury behaviour with mineralogy. Aluminium concentration was determined by X ray fluorescence method, in the Department of Materials, IPEN/CNEN-SP, making possible enrichment factor calculation so that mercurial contamination in the gold mining area (Vila Nova river basin) could be evaluated. The mercury

The effects of solvent polarity on absorption and fluorescence spectra of biologically active compounds (chlorogenic acid (CGA) and caffeic acids (CA)) have been investigated. In both spectra pronounced solvatochromic effects were observed with shift of emission peaks larger than the corresponding UV-vis electronic absorption spectra. From solvatochromic theory the ground and excited-state dipole moments were determined experimentally and theoretically. The differences between the excited and ground state dipole moment determined by Bakhshiev, Kawski-Chamma-Viallet and Reichardt equations are quite similar. The ground and excited-state dipole moments were determined by theoretical quantum chemical calculation using density function theory (DFT) method (Gaussian 09) and were also similar to the experimental results. The HOMO-LUMO energy band gaps for CGA and CFA were calculated and found to be 4.1119 and 1.8732 eV respectively. The results also indicated the CGA molecule is more stable than that of CFA. It was also observed that in both compounds the excited state possesses a higher dipole moment than that of the ground state. This confirms that the excited state of the hydroxycinnamic compounds is more polarized than that of the ground state and therefore is more sensitive to the solvent. PMID:25991491

Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •Simple, sensitive, and accurate method is established for mercury determination in cosmetics. •The sample preparation procedure is highly simplified. •Isotope dilution efficiently eliminates matrix effect. •First report of using formic acid based method in combination with PVG-ID-ICP MS for mercury quantitation in cosmetics. -- Abstract: A new method was proposed for the accurate determination of mercury in cosmetic samples based on isotopic dilution (ID)-photochemical vapor generation (PVG)-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS) measurement. Cosmetic samples were directly dissolved in formic acid solution and subsequently subjected to PVG for the reduction of mercury into vapor species following by ICP MS detection. Therefore, the risks of analyte contamination and loss were avoided. Highly enriched 201Hg isotopic spike is added to cosmetics and the isotope ratios of 201Hg/202Hg were measured for the quantitation of mercury. With ID calibration, the influences originating from sample matrixes for the determination of mercury in cosmetic samples have been efficiently eliminated. The effects of several experimental parameters, such as the concentration of the formic acid, and the flow rates of carrier gas and sample were investigated. The method provided good reproducibility and the detection limits were found to be 0.6 pg mL−1. Finally, the developed method was successfully applied for the determination of mercury in six cosmetic samples and a spike test was performed to verify the accuracy of the method

Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •Simple, sensitive, and accurate method is established for mercury determination in cosmetics. •The sample preparation procedure is highly simplified. •Isotope dilution efficiently eliminates matrix effect. •First report of using formic acid based method in combination with PVG-ID-ICP MS for mercury quantitation in cosmetics. -- Abstract: A new method was proposed for the accurate determination of mercury in cosmetic samples based on isotopic dilution (ID)-photochemical vapor generation (PVG)-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS) measurement. Cosmetic samples were directly dissolved in formic acid solution and subsequently subjected to PVG for the reduction of mercury into vapor species following by ICP MS detection. Therefore, the risks of analyte contamination and loss were avoided. Highly enriched {sup 201}Hg isotopic spike is added to cosmetics and the isotope ratios of {sup 201}Hg/{sup 202}Hg were measured for the quantitation of mercury. With ID calibration, the influences originating from sample matrixes for the determination of mercury in cosmetic samples have been efficiently eliminated. The effects of several experimental parameters, such as the concentration of the formic acid, and the flow rates of carrier gas and sample were investigated. The method provided good reproducibility and the detection limits were found to be 0.6 pg mL{sup −1}. Finally, the developed method was successfully applied for the determination of mercury in six cosmetic samples and a spike test was performed to verify the accuracy of the method.

An alternative method for gas chromatographic determination of haloacetic acids (HAAs) in water using direct derivatization followed by hollow fiber membrane liquid-phase microextraction (HF-LPME) has been developed. The method has improved the sample preparation step according to the conventional US EPA Method 552.2 by combining the derivatization and the extraction into one step prior to determination by gas chromatography electron captured detector (GC-ECD). The HAAs were derivatized with acidic methanol into their methyl esters and simultaneously extracted with supported liquid hollow fiber membrane in headspace mode. The derivatization was attempted directly in water sample without sample evaporation. The HF-LPME was performed using 1-octanol as the extracting solvent at 55 deg. C for 60 min with 20% Na2SO4. The linear calibration curves were observed for the concentrations ranging from 1 to 300 μg L-1 with the correlation coefficients (R2) being greater than 0.99. The method detection limits of most analytes were below 1 μg L-1 except DCAA and MCAA that were 2 and 18 μg L-1, respectively. The recoveries from spiked concentration ranged from 97 to 109% with %R.S.D. less than 12%. The method was applied for determination of HAAs in drinking water and tap water samples. The method offers an easy one step high sample throughput sample preparation for gas chromatographic determination of haloacetic acids as well as other contaminants in water

A simple and sensitive kinetic spectrophotometric method for the determination of trace amounts of titanium(IV), based upon the catalytic effect of Ti(IV) on the oxidation of acid chrome blue K (ACBK) by hydrogen peroxide in 0.002 mol/L sulfuric acid, is described. The reaction rate is monitored spectrophotometrically by measuring the decrease in absorbance of ACBK at 524 nm. The detection limit of the method is 1.01×10-9 g/mL, and the linear range is 0-0.048 mg/L. The influence of acidity, concentration of reactants, reaction time, reaction temperature and for-eign ions is also discussed. The optimum reaction conditions were established and some kinetic parameters determined. The apparent activation energy of the catalytic reaction is 5.32 kJ/mol. The relative standard deviation for the determi-nation of titanium(IV) at the concentration of 0.048 mg/L is calculated to be 1.31% (n = 11). In combination with sol-vent extraction separation, the method has been successfully applied to the determination of trace titanium(IV) in human hair, plant matter, tea and rock samples. The results are in good agreement with the certified values with the relative standard deviations (RSD) of 1.4%-3.5%.

UV-Vis spectroscopy was used to directly determine the concentration of Eu(Ⅱ) during electroreduction of Eu(Ⅲ) in hydrochloric acid medium. Electroreduction was carried out in a flow type electrolyzer with glassy carbon cathode at the constant potential of -800 mV vs. Ag/AgCl. The effects of oxygen and concentration of hydrochloric acid on the system were investigated. For 0.01 mol·L-1 hydrochloric acid, calibration curves for Eu(Ⅱ) absorption bands at 248 and 320 nm were constructed. Molar absorption coefficients were estimated to be 2016 and 648 L·mol-1·cm-1, respectively. The absorbance strongly decreased with decrease in pH of the solution, whereas concentration of chloride had only a negligible effect.

High-purity uranium compounds are widely used in nuclear field in the form of uranyl nitrate or uranium oxides. In production of uranium material the estimation and the control of products quality is necessary and very important. Halogens was separated from uranium compounds by steam distillation and they were later determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for Cl- , Br- , I- ions. Br- was also determined by spectrophotometric and iodide by the individual pulse polarography. Silicon and phosphorus in uranyl nitrate solutions were determined by the photometric method. Sulfur was determined as sulfate form by the measurement of turbidity by the titrimetry. TBP in kerosene and free acid in aqueous solution were determined by the titration. (author)

A simple, fast, highly efficient and direct method using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry has been established for the simultaneous separation, identification and quantitation of a few saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in olive oils from various countries. No sample pretreatment techniques were employed such as extraction or derivatization for the analysis of target acids from oil samples, as the oil samples were just diluted, filtered and then directly injected to the instrument. The chromatographic separations of all target fatty acids were achieved on a Hypersil Gold C18 column of particle size 1.9μm, 50×2.1mm I.D, while the gradient elution using a binary mobile phase mixture of acetonitrile and water at a flow rate of 1.5ml/min was adopted for achieving optimum separations. The identification and quantitation of target compounds was accomplished using selected ion reaction monitoring mode. The recoveries of the fatty acids were obtained higher than 89% with good validation parameters; linearity (r(2)>0.992), detection limit between 0.09 and 0.24μg/ml, run to run and day to day precisions with percent relative standard deviation lower than 2.4% at both low (1μg/ml) and medium (10μg/ml) concentration levels. The total content of fatty acids in each individual oils was found in the range of 472.63-7751.20μg/ml of olive oil, while oleic acid was found to be the major fatty acid among all analyzed oils with the amount 3785.94μg/ml (maximum) in Syrian olive oil. The obtained validation parameters confirm that the proposed analytical method is rapid, sensitive, reproducible and simple and it could be applied for the successful evaluation of fatty acids in various oils and other matrices. All the fatty acids were efficiently eluted in a time of less than 8min with well resolved peaks by employing the proposed method. PMID:27474779

Full Text Available Congo Tak-Shing Ching,1,2 Kok-Khun Yong,3 Yan-Dong Yao,4 Huan-Ting Shen,3 Shiu-Man Hsieh,5 Deng-Yun Jheng,1 Tai-Ping Sun,1,6 Hsiu-Li Shieh11Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chi Nan University, Nantou, 2Department of Photonics and Communication Engineering, Asia University, Taichung, 3Department of Internal Medicine, Puli Christian Hospital, Nantou, People’s Republic of China; 4Division of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Community College, Hong Kong; 5Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Puli Christian Hospital, 6Department of Electronic Engineering, Nan Kai University of Technology, Nantou, People’s Republic of ChinaAbstract: The aims of this study were to investigate the most effective combination of physical forces from laser, electroporation, and reverse iontophoresis for noninvasive transdermal extraction of uric acid, and to develop a highly sensitive uric acid biosensor (UAB for quantifying the uric acid extracted. It is believed that the combination of these physical forces has additional benefits for extraction of molecules other than uric acid from human skin. A diffusion cell with porcine skin was used to investigate the most effective combination of these physical forces. UABs coated with ZnO2 nanoparticles and constructed in an array configuration were developed in this study. The results showed that a combination of laser (0.7 W, electroporation (100 V/cm2, and reverse iontophoresis (0.5 mA/cm2 was the most effective and significantly enhanced transdermal extraction of uric acid. A custom-designed UAB coated with ZnO2 nanoparticles and constructed in a 1×3 array configuration (UAB-1×3-ZnO2 demonstrated enough sensitivity (9.4 µA/mM for quantifying uric acid extracted by the combined physical forces of laser, electroporation, and RI. A good linear relationship (R2=0.894 was demonstrated to exist between the concentration of uric acid (0.2–0.8 mM inside the diffusion cell and the current response of the

Quantitative approaches to characterizing microorganisms are crucial for a broader understanding of the microbial status and function within ecosystems. Current strategies for microbial analysis include both traditional laboratory culture-dependent techniques and those based on direct extraction and determination of certain biomarkers. Few among the diversity of microbial species inhabiting soil can be cultured, so culture-dependent methods introduce significant biases, a limitation absent in biomarker analysis. The glucosamine, mannosamine, galactosamine and muramic acid have been well served as measures of both the living and dead microbial mass, of these the glucosamine (most abundant) and muramic acid (uniquely from bacterial cell) are most important constituents in the soil systems. However, the lack of knowledge on the analysis restricts the wide popularization among scientific peers. Among all existing analytical methods, derivatization to aldononitrile acetates followed by GC-based analysis has emerged as a good option with respect to optimally balancing precision, sensitivity, simplicity, good chromatographic separation, and stability upon sample storage. Here, we present a detailed protocol for a reliable and relatively simple analysis of glucosamine and muramic acid from soil after their conversion to aldononitrile acetates. The protocol mainly comprises four steps: acid digestion, sample purification, derivatization and GC determination. The step-by-step procedure is modified according to former publications. In addition, we present a strategy to structurally validate the molecular ion of the derivative and its ion fragments formed upon electron ionization. We applied GC-EI-MS-SIM, LC-ESI-TOF-MS and isotopically labeled reagents to determine the molecular weight of aldononitrile acetate derivatized glucosamine and muramic acid; we used the mass shift of isotope-labeled derivatives in the ion spectrum to investigate ion fragments of each derivatives. In

A method to detect malic acid and lactic acid contents of cider by HPLC that containing UV detector and Symmetry C18（3.5μm×4.6mm×75mm） column was established.The column temperature was 25℃, mobile phase consisted of methanol containing 0.1%formic acid,the rate of flowing was 0.5mL/min,detection wavelength was 210nm,the injection volume was 20μL.Malic acid and lactic acid contents were detected by external standard method.The analysis results showed that correlation coefficient of the linear equation was high（it was R~2=0.9969 for malic acid and R~2=0.9999 for lactic acid）.The relative standard deviation（RSD） of retention time within one day was less than 0.12%and the RSD of the peak area within one day was less than 2%, RSD of retention time in different days was below 0.12%and the RSD of the peak area in different days was below 1.82%.For malic acid,the limit of detection（LOD） was 0.43mg/L（S/N≥3）,the limit of quantity（LOQ） was 1.30mg/L（S/N≥10）.For lactic acid,the LOD was 1.12mg/L and the LOQ was 3.36mg/L.It was a suitable way to determine malic acid and lactic acid contents of cider with great linear relationship,favorable reproducibility and high sensitivity.%建立了HPLC测定苹果酒中苹果酸及乳酸含量的方法,即采用配紫外检测器及Symmetry C18（3.5μm×4.6mm×75mm）色谱柱的液相色谱仪,柱温25℃,流动相为含0.1%甲酸的甲醇水溶液,流速0.5mL/min,检测波长210nm,进样量20μL,通过外标法定量研究苹果酒中苹果酸及乳酸的含量。研究结果表明：该法定量线性关系良好（苹果酸标准曲线的线性相关系数R~2为0.9969,乳酸的R~2为0.9999）;日内进样保留时间相对标准偏差（RSD）在0.12%以内,峰面积RSD在2%以内,日间进样保留时间的RSD在0.12%以内,峰面积的RSD在1.82%以内;苹果酸的最低检出限（LOD）（S/N≥3）可达0.43mg/L,最小检测量（LOQ）（S/N≥10）可达1.30mg/L,乳酸的LOD可达1.12mg